Department of Health and Social Care

Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the next Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme considers combination treatments for cancer to be cost-effective.

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the heads of agreement for the next Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme will be published.

Steve Brine: The Government is committed to supporting the United Kingdom life sciences industry and ensuring that patients can access cost-effective, innovative cancer treatments and technologies at a price the National Health Service can afford. Discussions on a branded medicines voluntary agreement for 2019 onwards are ongoing and are constructive.

Pregnancy: Screening

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of NHS Trusts offer non-invasive prenatal testing.

Matt Hancock: NHS England does not hold information on the proportion of National Health Service trusts that offer non-invasive prenatal testing.

Smoking

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many referrals (a) NHS acute trusts and (b) NHS mental health trusts made to smoking cessation services in each of the last three years.

Steve Brine: The information requested is not held centrally.

Bupropion: Prescriptions

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many prescriptions of Zyban (bupropion hydrochloride) were dispensed by (a) the NHS and (b) community pharmacies in each of the last three years.

Steve Brine: NHS Digital reports that it does not hold the prescription level data requested. NHS Digital holds data about prescription items dispensed by doctors and community pharmacies in England which is available in the following table. YearChemicalDispensed by dispensing doctorsDispensed by community pharmaciesAll dispensing in the community2015Bupropion Hydrochloride1,13020,70121,8312016Bupropion Hydrochloride1,11021,23122,3412017Bupropion Hydrochloride1,08422,25423,338Source: Prescription Cost Analysis, NHS Digital NHS Digital does not hold data on drugs dispensed in hospitals, including mental health trusts, or private prescriptions.

Smoking: Local Government Finance

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the amount spent by local authorities on smoking cessation services in each of the last three years.

Steve Brine: The following table shows the amount local authorities have spent on stop smoking services and interventions over the last three years of available data.  2014-152015-162016-17Total£121.2 million£111.2 million£89.3 millionSource: Local authority revenue expenditure and financing https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-financing

Naloxone

Ronnie Cowan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding his Department has provided for health professionals and emergency service personnel to carry Naloxone in the last five years.

Steve Brine: This information is not held centrally.

Usher Syndrome

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is taking to fund research into usher syndrome.

Caroline Dinenage: The Government supports research into common and rare diseases through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). Four major research studies into Usher syndrome are taking place at the NIHR Great Ormond Street Biomedical Research Centre and the NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre investigating the molecular basis of the disease and advanced therapies for Usher syndrome. Rare diseases patients also benefit from the pioneering research under the 100,000 Genomes Project. As of October 2018, over 3,000 researchers in 387 United Kingdom and international institutions were part of Genomics England’s Clinical Interpretation Partnership, which have been set up improve understanding of genomic medicine and its application to healthcare; improve understanding of diseases; and lead the way to developing new diagnostics and treatments.

Public Health England: Drinkaware Trust

Dr Paul Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what consultation took place between Public Health England and its independent expert advisors on the Alcohol Leadership Board prior to its decision to enter into a partnership with Drinkaware.

Steve Brine: There was no consultation between Public Health England (PHE) and its Alcohol Leadership Board before PHE and Drinkaware’s Drink Free Days campaign.

Public Health England: Drinkaware Trust

Dr Paul Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will place in the library a copy of the terms of reference for the partnership between Public Health England and Drinkaware.

Steve Brine: There are no terms of reference for the collaboration between Public Health England and Drinkaware.

Public Health England: Drinkaware Trust

Dr Paul Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the press release, Public Health England and Drinkaware launch Drink Free Days, published on 10 September 2018, for what reason the decision was taken by Public Health England not to state clearly that Drinkaware is funded by the alcohol industry.

Steve Brine: The content of the press release launching the Drink Free Days campaign, which is a collaboration between Public Health England and Drinkaware, focused on communicating to media the campaign’s aim and specifically its simple and pragmatic advice to the public to help them cut back on alcohol consumption by taking more drink free days. The purpose of the press release was to highlight this consumer facing campaign rather than describe the background to either organisation.

Mental Illness: Children

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the strength of the link between perinatal mental illness and (a) emotional and (b) behavioural problems in children; and if he will make a statement.

Matt Hancock: Perinatal mental health problems can have long-standing effects on children’s emotional, social and cognitive development. To build understanding about what works in mitigating the impacts of adverse childhood experiences, which includes having a parent with a severe mental illness, the Department has commissioned a review of existing systematic reviews on the effectiveness of interventions for children and young people (3-18 years) who have experienced adverse childhood experiences. This work, by the end of the year, will draw on learning from other parts of the United Kingdom and the world, and will report later this year. The Department is investing £365 million from 2015/16 to 2020/21 in perinatal mental health services, and NHS England is leading a transformation programme to ensure that, by 2020/21, at least 30,000 more women each year are able to access evidence-based specialist mental health care during the perinatal period.

Physiology: Heart Diseases

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number cardiac physiologists.

Stephen Barclay: Health Education England, through the National School for Healthcare Science, has increased the number of trainees by 12.5% from 36 for 2017/18 to 45 for 2018/19.Cardiac science will remain a priority area for the National School for Healthcare Science and future training post numbers will form part of Health Education England’s workforce planning process for 2019 onwards.

Haematological Cancer: Drugs

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many blood cancer patients have received medicine funded by the Cancer Drugs Fund by each medicine since 2016.

Steve Brine: We have been informed by NHS England that since the implementation of the new Cancer Drugs Fund on 29 July 2016, 7,821 patients have been registered to receive treatment for a blood cancer, out of a total of approximately 25,700 patients who have been registered to receive cancer drug treatment. NHS England has advised that it is unable to provide a breakdown of patients registered to receive treatment with each medicine for reasons of commercial confidentiality.

Cystic Fibrosis: Health Services

Janet Daby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support (a) people with cystic fibrosis and (b) those people's access to precision medicine.

Steve Brine: Specialised services for the support and treatment of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are commissioned by NHS England. CF services are delivered in about 20 Paediatric Cystic Fibrosis Centres and about 20 Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centres. There are separate service specifications for adults and children. These specifications are important in clearly defining what NHS England expects to be in place for providers to offer evidence-based, safe and effective care and they support equity of access to a nationally consistent, high quality service. The specifications can be found via the following links: www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Cystic-fibrosis-adult.pdf www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/a01Sb-spec-cystic-fibrosis-child.pdf In October 2017, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published new guidance for the diagnosis and management of CF. This includes specific details on how to monitor the condition and manage the symptoms to improve quality of life. This guidance can be found via the following link: www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng78# NICE is the organisation responsible for assessing the clinical and cost effectiveness of medicine for the NHS. NICE has considered precision medicines for the treatment of CF, such as Orkambi and Kalydeco. The use of Kalydeco is approved by NICE and is currently being used by around 400 patients. However, NICE have been unable to recommend the use of the precision medicine Orkambi. More information on this recommendation can be found via the following link: www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta398

NHS: Physiology

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of cardiac physiologists worked in the NHS in each of the last five years.

Caroline Dinenage: NHS Digital publishes Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS) workforce statistics. These include staff working in hospital trusts and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), but not staff working in primary care or in general practitioner surgeries, local authorities or other providers. The following table shows the number of qualified staff in cardiac physiology in National Health Service trusts and CCGs in England as at 30 September 2014 - 2017 and latest data as at 30 June 2018, full time equivalent:Cardiac PhysiologySeptember 2014September 2015September 2016September 2017June 20187529271,0461,0961,115Source: NHS HCHS monthly workforce statistics, NHS Digital In 2013 as part of the Modernising Scientific Careers programme, the Occupation Codes for Healthcare Scientists were updated. Because of that change data on cardiac physiology is not available in 2013. It is not possible to give the proportion of cardiac physiologists working in the NHS because accurate data on these workers outside of the NHS is not available.

Mental Health Services: Children and  Young People

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to increase the budget for mental health services for children and young people as part of the NHS long-term plan.

Matt Hancock: Implementing the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health, published by NHS England in 2016, sets out the planned expenditure for mental health through to 2020/21. We are making an additional £1.4 billion available in cash terms in order to transform services, which includes our ambition for an additional 70,000 children and young people a year to receive access to specialist mental health services by 2020/21. Clinical commissioning group (CCG) spending on children and young people’s mental health increased by 20% from £516 million in 2015/16 to £619 million in 2016/17. The latest refresh of the National Health Service mandate now requires all CCGs to meet the Mental Health Investment Standard, which requires areas to increase mental health funding by at least the overall growth in their allocation each year. Our joint health and education Green Paper aims to further improve provision of services in schools and colleges, bolster links between schools, colleges and the NHS and pilot a four week waiting time. This is available at the following link: The Government announced a new five-year budget settlement for the NHS in June 2018, which will see funding grow on average by 3.4% in real terms each year. This will mean the NHS budget will increase by over £20 billion in real terms by 2023-24 compared with today. This additional funding will underpin a 10-year plan to guarantee the future of the NHS for the long term. NHS leaders are currently developing the long-term plan and, as such, no decision has yet been taken on the share of funds to be allocated to mental health services for children and young people under the multi-year financial settlement. However, the Government has been clear that significantly improving access to good mental health services is one of the principles it expects to underpin the long-term plan. The plan is currently in development and will be published later in the year.

Arthritis: Children and Young People

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number of children and young people diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis in Stroud.

Steve Brine: This data is not available.

Mental Health Services: Children and  Young People

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to implement recommendation 46 of the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health by commissioning regular prevalence surveys for children and young people that are updated not less than every seven years.

Matt Hancock: The next Survey of the Mental Health of Children and Young People is expected to be published by NHS Digital based on data from 2017.

Mental Health Services: Young People

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the provision of early support in mental health services for young people.

Matt Hancock: The Green Paper on children and young people’s mental health announced specific and additional provision of mental health support for children and young people with mild to moderate mental health issues in schools and colleges. This will be through creation of new mental health support teams who will work in or close to schools and colleges. The Green Paper also announced the piloting of a four week waiting time in a number of trailblazer areas to improve access to specialist services, and incentivising all schools and colleges to put a senior designated lead for mental health in place. We are also aiming for an additional 70,000 children and young people a year to receive access to specialist mental health treatment by 2020/21 and have put waiting time standards in place for children and young people’s mental health (around eating disorders and early intervention in psychosis). We are either on track to meet or exceeding these waiting time standards. The Government has also spent £150 million expanding eating disorder community-based care for children and young people. As a result, 70 dedicated new or extended community services are now either open or in development. This means at least 3,350 children and young people a year will receive swift, effective eating disorder treatment in the community.

Mental Health Services: Young People

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the provision of accessible out of hours crisis care for young people experiencing mental health problems.

Matt Hancock: Improving mental health services is a priority for the Government and we are making available £1.4 billion up to 2020 to transform children and young people’s mental health services. We published a Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services Green Paper in 2017 setting out an ambitious programme to improve prevention, early intervention and access to children and young people’s mental health services which is supported by an additional £300 million. The Prime Minister has asked the National Health Service to develop a long-term plan over the next 10 years to meet future challenges and has been clear that improving access to mental health services should be a key element of the plan, to be published later this year. We launched the national Mental Health Crisis Care Concordat in 2014 and every local area has a mental health crisis care concordat action plan in place setting out protocols for all local services working together to ensure that anyone experiencing a mental health crisis receives the care and support they need. Through the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health (2016) we are investing in improving mental health crisis care which includes £249 million to implement all-age mental health liaison teams in every acute hospital by 2020 so that people presenting at hospital with a mental health problem will receive appropriate care and support from specialist mental health teams.

Arthritis: Children

Martin Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis are transitioned to adult rheumatology care; and what guidance his Department issues to the NHS to ensure the adequacy of that transition.

Steve Brine: In February 2016, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published guidance on the ‘Transition from children’s to adults’ services for young people using health or social care services’. This includes several recommendations on the overarching principles of transition, transition planning, support for before and after transition and the supporting infrastructure. One of the main focuses of the guidance is ensuring that young people and their carers are involved and supported throughout transition and that the support provided is appropriate to the individual person and their needs. Further information can be found via the following link: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng43

Smoking: Young People

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of young people taking up smoking.

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the level of smoking.

Steve Brine: The Tobacco Control Plan for England, published in July 2017, outlines our commitment to reduce smoking prevalence still further, en route towards a smokefree generation. The Government will therefore continue to adopt a comprehensive approach to tobacco control, including tough legislation, high duty rates, cessation services and social marketing campaigns. The Tobacco Control Delivery Plan, published in June 2018 sets out the actions which different agencies will take in order to meet the aims of the plan, and how progress will be monitored.

Radioisotopes

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure consistent and timely access to radioisotopes after the UK leaves the EU.

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking in negotiations to leave the EU to maintain access to radioisotopes after the UK leaves the EU.

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union on ensuring consistent and timely access to radioisotopes after the UK leaves the EU.

Stephen Barclay: The Government has made significant progress in negotiations with the European Union and remains confident we will leave with a good deal for both sides, that supports existing and future healthcare collaboration, including on the ongoing supply of medicines, including medical radioisotopes, to the United Kingdom. However, the Government is continuing to prepare for all scenarios, including the possible outcome that we will leave the EU without any deal in March 2019. We are confident that our precautionary planning now will mean that in the event of a no deal outcome we will be able to continue to provide a seamless supply of medicines to National Health Service patients from the moment we leave the EU. My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care discusses a wide range of issues with a number of stakeholders and other Government Departments. The Department of Health and Social Care continues to take a UK-wide cross-Government approach to ensuring continuity of medicines supply, including medical radioisotopes, in all EU exit scenarios, including working very closely with the Department for Exiting the European Union.

Drugs: Counterfeit Manufacturing

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to make pharmacies (a) aware and (b) prepared for the implementation of the Falsified Medicines Directive by February 2019.

Steve Brine: The Government has been working closely with a wide variety of stakeholders impacted by the Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD), including community pharmacy, to raise awareness and support preparation for implementation. We have established an Implementation Advisory Board and the FMD Communications Group to ensure the views of all stakeholders are heard and our messages are being disseminated. This has included regular newsletters and speaking at various external events. We have also worked closely with the United Kingdom FMD working group for community pharmacy to develop sector specific guidance and communications and NHS Digital has produced technical guidance to support implementation decisions.

Drugs: Counterfeit Manufacturing

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to provide financial support for independent pharmacies after the implementation of the Falsified Medicines Directive by February 2019.

Steve Brine: Financial support for community pharmacies providing National Health Service pharmaceutical services, including independent pharmacies, in respect to the implementation of the Falsified Medicines Directive, is a devolved matter and will be subject to the usual negotiations.

Drugs: Counterfeit Manufacturing

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of pharmacies are equipped with scanning machines that register the unique identifier required on the packaging of certain medicinal products by the Falsified Medicines Directive in each region of England.

Steve Brine: The Department has not made an assessment of the proportion of pharmacies equipped with scanning machines. NHS Digital has published guidance to support pharmacies in understanding the minimal technology specifications for scanners to be used for the Falsified Medicines Directive. There are a wide range of options for scanning equipment, including the use of a smart phone.

Drugs: Counterfeit Manufacturing

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to assist independent pharmacies in the purchase of the (a) hardware and (b) software required by the implementation of the Falsified Medicines Directive.

Steve Brine: The Department has supported the development of sector specific guidance for implementation of the Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD) to support pharmacies, including independent pharmacies, in understanding their obligations when making hardware and software purchases. NHS Digital has been working with stakeholders and system suppliers to provide information on minimum technical specifications, as well as benefits beyond the FMD. A community pharmacy toolkit, with the different options open to pharmacies in implementing the FMD, has been produced by NHS Digital.

Blood: Contamination

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many files exist on patients being treated following factor 8 blood transfusions; and how many such files have been destroyed.

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients have been treated as a result of the use of Factor 8 blood on them; and what the outcomes were for each of those patients.

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure the treatment offered to people affected by infected blood transfusions is the best available rather than the cheapest.

Matt Hancock: The Department does not hold information about treatments received by individual patients or the outcome of those treatments. This includes the records for anyone who has contracted infections following treatment with infected blood or blood products. Any individual who has contracted hepatitis C or HIV due to infected blood will have been offered the most effective treatments available at the time of their diagnosis, based on expert clinical assessment, and kept under review and their treatment updated as indicated.

Blood: Contamination

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that all government bodies must automatically make available all files that are relevant to the contaminated blood inquiry.

Matt Hancock: The Infected Blood Inquiry is a statutory inquiry, independent of Government, with powers to require the production of evidence. The Department is committed to being fully transparent and cooperative with the Inquiry and all requests for disclosure, including those organisations or bodies for which the Department was responsible. We are resourcing dedicated policy and legal teams to ensure the Department delivers against this commitment and will coordinate across Government as appropriate.

Royal Bournemouth Hospital: Finance

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much additional funding he plans to allocate to Royal Bournemouth Hospital as a result of the increase in funding for the NHS, announced by the Prime Minister in June 2018.

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much additional funding he plans to allocated to Poole Hospital as a result of the increase in funding for the NHS, announced by the Prime Minister in July 2018.

Stephen Barclay: To support the National Health Service to deliver for patients across the country, the Government has announced a new five-year budget settlement for the NHS, which will see funding grow on average by 3.4% in real terms each year. This will mean the NHS budget will increase by over £20 billion in real terms by 2023-24 compared with today. This additional funding will underpin a 10-year plan to guarantee the future of the NHS for the long term. Decisions have not yet been taken on the share of funds to be allocated to individual NHS organisations. The plan will set a vision for the health service and ensure every penny is well spent, which will then inform local allocations.

Hip Replacements: Safety

Bill Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the (a) testing and (b) certification procedures for (i) metal and (ii) other compositions of hip replacements fitted as medical devices by the NHS ensure that such devices are safe for patients; and if he will make a statement.

Matt Hancock: All medical devices placed on the United Kingdom market must comply with the European Union Medical Devices Directive 93/42/EEC (MDD). The European Conformity (CE) mark for a device is placed on a product by a manufacturer to attest to its compliance with the safety, quality and performance requirements of the MDD. For higher risk devices, including hip replacement implants, manufacturers must have the product’s safety and performance assessed by an independent certification body, called a notified body, before the CE mark can be affixed. A notified body’s tasks will vary depending on the classification of the products concerned, but typical activities include an examination of the design dossier relating to each type of product, an assessment of the full technical information, and manufacturer inspections. Under the MDD, manufacturers are required to have clinical and safety data to support their performance claims for the device, which is also assessed by the notified body. Once a device is placed on the market, the manufacturer is required to continually monitor the performance of their device, submit vigilance reports to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) when incidents occur involving their device and take appropriate safety action when required. Additionally, the MHRA monitors adverse incident reported though the Yellow Card reporting system. Adverse incident reports can be submitted to the MHRA by members of the public, healthcare professionals and the device manufacturer. Furthermore, the new European Union Medical Devices Regulation 2017/745, which entered into force in May 2017, has introduced more stringent requirements from manufacturers to ensure a high level of patient safety. These include increased scrutiny by notified bodies, particularly for higher risk devices, new standards for clinical evidence and more rigorous vigilance reporting requirements.

Phenylketonuria: Drugs

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress NHS England and NICE have made on deciding whether to (a) license Kuvan and (b) make available Peg-Pal for the treatment of phenylketonuria.

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department have made of the cost per patient to the NHS of the NHS not prescribing Kuvan or Peg-Pal to patients with phenylketonuria.

Steve Brine: Decisions on licensing are made by the relevant regulatory body, either the European Medicines Agency or the Medicines Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Kuvan (sapropterin) is already licensed for use in the treatment of phenylketonuria and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently developing guidance on its use through its technology appraisal programme. NICE technology appraisal guidance makes recommendations for the National Health Service on whether drugs represent a clinically and cost-effective use of NHS resources, and NHS bodies are legally required to fund drugs recommended by NICE. The appraisal of Kuvan is formally due to begin the week commencing 15 October with final guidance anticipated in August 2019. Peg-Pal (pegvaliase) does not yet have a licence for use in the treatment of phenylketonuria in the United Kingdom. NICE is currently considering whether pegvaliase, if licensed, would be suitable for a technology appraisal. If it is suitable and referred to NICE, NICE will aim to publish guidance on the use of pegvaliase as close as possible to licensing. The Department has made no assessment of the cost per patient of not prescribing Kuvan or Peg-Pal. NICE will take all the health-related costs and benefits associated with treatment with the drugs into account in developing recommendations on whether the drugs represent a clinically and cost-effective use of NHS resources.

Phenylketonuria: Young People

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has been made of the adequacy of the transitional care arrangements for young people with phenylketonuria between the ages of 10 and 25.

Steve Brine: Patients with phenylketonuria (PKU) access care via their general practitioner and metabolic services. The treatment for PKU is a very strict low protein diet. This includes supplementation with artificial protein, vitamin and mineral supplements and prescribable low protein food. Transition in health care is recognised as a developmentally mediated process which ensures optimal health and wellbeing outcomes for young people as they move, in partnership with their health care teams, towards and into adult services and lifestyles. Continuity of care is provided through communication and treatment planning between children and adult services to ensure management of symptoms and compliance with the low protein diet.

Palliative Care

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will include end of life care in the long-term plan for the NHS; and what steps are being taken to improve end of life care.

Caroline Dinenage: Delivering improvements to end of care is a key priority for this Government and end of life care is an important part of the proposals which are helping to shape the long-term plan for National Health Service. NHS England is now considering the many responses and submissions it has received, including those from end of life care charities, as part of the listening exercise it held to help develop and refine policy proposals for inclusion in the plan. NHS England will continue working with key stakeholders to test the plan before its publication in November 2018.  In ‘Our Commitment to you for end of life care’, published in July 2016, the Government set out what everyone should expect from their care at the end of life and the actions being taking to make high quality and personalisation a reality for all and to reduce variation in end of life care. NHS England is responsible for delivering the commitment, in partnership with system partners and key stakeholders, through its National End of Life Care Programme Board. Key steps over the first two years include: - Working with Public Health England and the Care Quality Commission to provide bespoke end of life care data and support packs to Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships to plan for, and improve, end of life care services;- Testing Personal Health Budgets for people approaching the end of life;- Working with Health Education England to ensure that all staff involved in the delivery of end of life care have appropriate education and training choice and quality of care at the end of life and strengthening medical curricula to support choice and quality and the of life;- Inspecting and rating NHS hospital and community services for end of life care. This new inspection approach has a clear focus on end of life care and applies in all services where end of life care is delivered;- Developing a new indicator for the Clinical Commissioning Group Improvement and Assessment Framework (CCG IAF) to measure deaths in hospital after three or more emergency admissions in the final 90 days of life to help assess choice and quality in end of life care; and- Supporting to trusts rated as ’inadequate or ‘needs improvement’ to improve end of life care services. At the start of 2017/18, 66 trusts were in these categories (four were inadequate). This is now down to 56. For 2018-19, the Government’s Mandate asks NHS England to increase the percentage of people identified as likely to be in their last year of life, so that their end of life care can be improved by personalising it according to their needs and preferences at an earlier stage. NHS England will use the Quality and Outcomes Framework to demonstrate such an increase by looking at the percentage of people who are on the general practitioner register for supportive and palliative care, and consider expected levels based on local populations. Currently the national English average is 0.37%, it is anticipated this figure will increase in the 2018/19 period.

Incinerators: Health Hazards

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what research his Department has conducted to assess the effects on health of emissions of nitrogen oxides from waste incinerator sites (a) generally and (b) on people living within the vicinity of an incinerator.

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what reports and studies his Department has considered in order to assess the effects on health of emissions of nitrogen oxides from waste incinerator sites (a) generally and (b) on people living within the vicinity of an incinerator.

Steve Brine: Public Health England (PHE) has reviewed the evidence on the effects of waste incinerators on human health. The PHE publication can be viewed at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/municipal-waste-incinerator-emissions-to-air-impact-on-healthPHE’s position is that well run and regulated modern Municipal Waste Incinerators (MWIs) are not a significant risk to public health. This view is based on detailed assessments of the effects of air pollutants on health and on the fact that modern MWIs make a small contribution to local concentrations of air pollutants.PHE will review its advice in light of new substantial research on the health effects of incinerators published in peer reviewed journals. To date, PHE is not aware of any evidence that requires a change in its position statement.PHE provides expert and independent advice to the Environment Agency (EA) on potential health effects of regulated facilities. To assess the effects on health of MWIs, reports considered include risk assessments of individual MWI sites. PHE will comment on the applicants’ risk assessments and how they demonstrate the installation’s impacts on human health, and when requested, any additional modelling and assessments conducted by the EA for chemicals including nitrogen oxides, providing health advice that is clear, concise and based on the best available evidence and expert judgement.

Allergies: Medical Treatments

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the shortage of EpiPen 0.3mg Auto-Injectors in (a) Oxfordshire and (b) England; and what steps he is taking to address that shortage.

Steve Brine: The United Kingdom supplier of EpiPen 0.3mg adrenaline auto-injectors, Mylan, has estimated that they are currently able to supply approximately 50% of their normal demand for this product. Within the UK there are two alternative 0.3mg adrenaline auto-injector devices and the manufacturers of these have been able to increase their supplies and support the market during this time. We therefore expect that patients will continue to be able to access 0.3mg adrenaline auto-injector devices if prescribed. The Department is working very closely with all the manufacturers of adrenaline auto-injectors, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, NHS England, and others to try to resolve these issues and improve the situation as quickly as possible.

Children: ICT

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the amount of time spent in front of screens on the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people.

Matt Hancock: Evidence around the impact of screen time on children and young people’s mental health is being assessed. The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has asked the Chief Medical Officer to undertake an evidence review on the impact of social media on children and young people’s mental health and bring forward advice and guidance. This will include consideration of the impact of screen time on children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many stimulated IVF cycles where 1-10 eggs were collected there were in each year from 2013 to 2017.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many stimulated IVF cycles there were in which 10-14 eggs were collected for each year from 2013 to 2017.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many stimulated IVF cycles there were in which 15-20 eggs were collected for each year from 2013 to 2017.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many stimulated IVF cycles there were in which more than 20 eggs were collected for each year from 2013 to 2017.

Matt Hancock: The information requested is shown in the following table:  Number of cycles (fresh stimulated cycles only)Fresh cycle year1-9 eggs collected10-14 eggs collected15-20 eggs collected21 and over eggs collected201323,35712,1516,9003,191201424,16312,1316,9783,156201524,68612,4517,1043,559201625,25712,2576,8673,686201724,77912,2247,2023,987Source: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) The data is as shown on the HFEA’s register database on 10 October 2018. This is a live database so these figures reflect the data on this day and are likely to change over time.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many embryos were created in stimulated IVF cycles in which 1-10 eggs were collected for each year from 2013 to 2017.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many embryos were created in stimulated IVF cycles in which 10-14 eggs were collected for each year from 2013 to 2017.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many embryos were created in stimulated IVF cycles in which 15-20 eggs were collected for each year from 2013 to 2017.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many embryos were created in stimulated IVF cycles in which more than 20 eggs were collected for each year from 2013 to 2017.

Matt Hancock: The information requested is shown in the following table:  Embryos created (in those fresh stimulated cycles)Fresh cycle year1-9 eggs collected10-14 eggs collected15-20 eggs collected21 and over eggs collected201373,97377,78262,70640,922201476,54678,35363,71140,627201576,51179,97264,14346,568201678,70178,43061,90548,280201776,67578,66864,56750,925Source: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) The data is based on embryos created from stimulated fresh in vitro fertilisation cycles, whether these embryos have been used at any time by the patient or a donor recipient. The data is as shown on the HFEA’s register database on 10 October 2018. This is a live database so these figures reflect the data on this day and are likely to change over time.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many fresh embryos were transferred in stimulated IVF cycles in which 1-10 eggs were collected for each year from 2013 to 2017.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many fresh embryos were transferred in stimulated IVF cycles in which 10-14 eggs were collected for each year from 2013 to 2017.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many fresh embryos were transferred in stimulated IVF cycles where 15-19 eggs were collected in each year from 2013 to 2017.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many fresh embryos were transferred in stimulated IVF cycles in which more than 20 eggs were collected for each year from 2013 to 2017.

Matt Hancock: The information requested is shown in the following table:  Fresh embryos transferred (from those fresh stimulated cycles)Fresh cycle year1-9 eggs collected10-14 eggs collected15-20 eggs collected21 and over eggs collected201333,15917,3929,1573,131201432,68416,6608,7372,863201531,17615,8117,9952,680201630,29014,4307,1892,355201728,10413,8187,0412,324 Source: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) The data is based on embryos created from stimulated fresh in vitro fertilisation cycles, whether these embryos have been used at any time by the patient or a donor recipient. The data is as shown on the HFEA’s register database on 10 October 2018. This is a live database so these figures reflect the data on this day and are likely to change over time.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many fresh embryos were allowed to perish in stimulated IVF cycles in which 1-10 eggs were collected for each year from 2013 to 2017.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many fresh embryos were allowed to perish in stimulated IVF cycles in which 10-14 eggs were collected for each year from 2013 to 2017.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many fresh embryos were allowed to perish in stimulated IVF cycles in which 15-20 eggs were collected for each year from 2013 to 2017.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many fresh embryos were allowed to perish in stimulated IVF cycles in which more than 20 eggs were collected for each year from 2013 to 2017.

Matt Hancock: The information requested is shown in the following table:  Fresh embryos allowed to perish (from those fresh stimulated cycles)Fresh cycle year1-9 eggs collected10-14 eggs collected15-20 eggs collected21 and over eggs collected201331,66145,49038,28121,633201433,73546,71639,76823,978201533,39246,62338,76926,091201634,20744,61536,34527,151201733,68243,74637,30427,702 Source: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) The data is based on embryos created from stimulated fresh in vitro fertilisation cycles, whether these embryos have been used at any time by the patient or a donor recipient. The data is as shown on the HFEA’s register database on 10 October 2018. This is a live database so these figures reflect the data on this day and are likely to change over time.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many frozen embryos were transferred from stimulated IVF cycles in which 1-10 eggs were collected for each year from 2013 to 2017.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many frozen embryos were transferred from stimulated IVF cycles in which 10-14 eggs were collected for each year from 2013 to 2017.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many frozen embryos were transferred from stimulated IVF cycles in which 15-20 eggs were collected for each year from 2013 to 2017.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many frozen embryos were transferred from stimulated IVF cycles in which more than 20 eggs were collected for each year from 2013 to 2017.

Matt Hancock: The information requested is shown in the following table:  Frozen embryos transferred (from embryos created from those fresh stimulated cycles)Fresh cycle year1-9 eggs collected10-14 eggs collected15-20 eggs collected21 and over eggs collected20134,1846,3055,7184,62820144,5686,1425,6314,21720155,0516,8255,9054,86020165,2606,4035,3464,82520174,7265,5004,6184,106Source: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) The data is based on embryos created from stimulated fresh in vitro fertilisation cycles, whether these embryos have been used at any time by the patient or a donor recipient. The data is as shown on the HFEA’s register database on 10 October 2018. This is a live database so these figures reflect the data on this day and are likely to change over time.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many frozen embryos were allowed to perish from stimulated IVF cycles in which 1-10 eggs were collected for each year from 2013 to 2017.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many frozen embryos were allowed to perish from stimulated IVF cycles in which 10-14 eggs were collected for each year from 2013 to 2017.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many frozen embryos were allowed to perish from stimulated IVF cycles in which 15-20 eggs were collected for each year from 2013 to 2017.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many frozen embryos were allowed to perish from stimulated IVF cycles in which more than 20 eggs were collected for each year from 2013 to 2017.

Matt Hancock: The information requested is shown in the following table:  Frozen embryos allowed to perish (from embryos created from those fresh stimulated cycles)Fresh cycle year1-9 eggs collected10-14 eggs collected15-20 eggs collected21 and over eggs collected20131,2482,1032,5625,28820141,0551,6981,8732,87420151,0211,5361,7573,42120169291,3071,3012,12920176839951,1852,021Source: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) The data is based on embryos created from stimulated fresh in vitro fertilisation cycles, whether these embryos have been used at any time by the patient or a donor recipient. The data is as shown on the HFEA’s register database on 10 October 2018. This is a live database so these figures reflect the data on this day and are likely to change over time.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many embryos were there in storage from stimulated IVF cycles in which 1-10 eggs were collected for each year from 2013 to 2017.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many embryos were there in storage from stimulated IVF cycles in which 10-14 eggs were collected for each year from 2013 to 2017.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many embryos were there in storage from stimulated IVF cycles in which 15-20 eggs were collected for each year from 2013 to 2017.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many embryos were there in storage from stimulated IVF cycles in which more than 20 eggs were collected for each year from 2013 to 2017.

Matt Hancock: The information requested is shown in the following table:  Embryos in storage (from embryos created from those fresh stimulated cycles)Fresh cycle year1-9 eggs collected10-14 eggs collected15-20 eggs collected21 and over eggs collected20133,7216,4926,9886,24220144,5047,1377,7026,69520155,8719,1779,7179,51620168,01511,67511,72411,82020179,48014,60914,41914,772Source: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) The data is based on embryos created from stimulated fresh in vitro fertilisation cycles, whether these embryos have been used at any time by the patient or a donor recipient. The HFEA register database tracks complex movements of embryos. The number of embryos remaining in storage has been estimated by the number of fresh embryos created, minus the fresh embryos transferred, fresh embryos allowed to perish, frozen embryos transferred and frozen embryos allowed to perish. This may not account for small numbers of embryos which have been used for other purposes, moved between centres or abroad or thawed and found not to be viable. The data is as shown on the HFEA’s register database on 10 October 2018. This is a live database so these figures reflect the data on this day and are likely to change over time.

Suicide: Males

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many male suicides have been recorded in the past (a) month, (b) two months, (c) six months, (d) year and (e) two years in (i) Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and (ii) Royal Blackpool NHS Foundation Trust.

Matt Hancock: The Department does not hold the information requested.

Breast Cancer: Nurses

Karen Lee: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will allocate funding for new Clinical Nurse Specialist posts to support secondary breast cancer patients in Hospital Trusts that do not have that post.

Steve Brine: NHS England is committed to ensuring that more patients have access to a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) or other specialist from diagnosis onwards to guide them through treatment options and ensure they receive appropriate information and support. 91% of patients reported having access to a CNS in the 2017 Cancer Patient Experience Survey. In December 2017, Health Education England published its first ever cancer workforce plan which commits to the expansion of CNSs so that every patient has access to a CNS or other support worker by 2021. They will do this by developing national competencies and a clear route into training, with a more detailed report on nursing and cancer in the light of new census data in spring 2018.

Prescription Drugs

Nick Thomas-Symonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to the report of the Drug Repurposing Group that was submitted to his Department in December 2017.

Matt Hancock: The Government will respond to the recommendations made in the Association of Medical Research Charities’ report - Facilitating adoption of off-patent, repurposed medicines into NHS clinical practice - in due course.

Cancer: Health Services

Nick Thomas-Symonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the adequacy of optimal care pathways for each of the less survivable cancers.

Steve Brine: We are committed to improving the treatment and care of all cancers, including those that have historically poor outcomes. We recognise that progress in improving survival rates for these cancers has been slow and survival rates remain low. For many of these cancers we do not currently have the answer, and the focus needs to be on research and innovation, and ensuring that proven innovations, once they are discovered, are adopted swiftly across the health service. The National Health Service bases such advice on that provided from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Clinical commissioning groups and providers are encouraged to commission services in line with the latest NICE guidance. In October 2018, the Government announced a package of measures that will be rolled out across the country with the aim of seeing three quarters of all cancers detected at an early stage by 2028. The plan will radically overhaul screening programmes, provide new investment in state of the art technology to transform the process of diagnosis, and boost research and innovation. For example, new targeted lung health check programmes will see people at risk of lung cancer offered smoking cessation interventions and enable more people to have curative treatment. This is part of the long-term plan for the NHS and forms part of how the Government will achieve its ambition of 55,000 more people surviving cancer for five years in England each year from 2028.

Dental Services: Fines

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much money his Department has collected in fines from Employment Support Allowance contribution-related claimants who have incorrectly filled out a FP17PR form for dental care in (a) 2017-18 and (b) each of the last four years.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much (a) his Department and (b) NHS Business Services, has collected in fines as a result of claimants of Employment Support Allowance completing an FP17PR form incorrectly in each of the last three years.

Steve Brine: The NHS Business Services Authority advises it does not hold this information in the format requested.

Dental Services: Fines

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people claimants of free dental care were issued a fine by her Department for incorrectly filling out an FP17PR form in 2017-18.

Steve Brine: The NHS Business Services Authority checks exemptions declared by patients on FP17PR forms against NHS Business Services Authority and the Department for Work and Pensions data. Where entitlement cannot be confirmed, the patient is sent a penalty charge notice and requested to confirm their entitlement or pay the applicable charges. If a valid exemption is found no further action is taken by the NHS Business Services Authority. In the financial year 2017/18, 427,238 penalty charge notices were issued to claimants who claimed free dental treatment but no exemption could be found following the checking process.

Palliative Care

Janet Daby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what provision he plans to make for end-of-life care in the long-term plan for the NHS.

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to include end of life care in the NHS Long Term Plan.

Caroline Dinenage: Delivering improvements to end of care is a key priority for this Government and end of life care is an important part of the proposals which are helping to shape the long-term plan for National Health Service. NHS England is now considering the many responses and submissions it has received, including those from end of life care charities, as part of the listening exercise it held to help develop and refine policy proposals for inclusion in the plan. NHS England will continue working with key stakeholders to test the plan before its publication in November 2018.

Benzodiazepines: Misuse

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 4 September 2018 to Question HL9971 on Benzodiazepines: Misuse, for what reason there is a 10 year restriction on evidence for the Public Health England review on addiction to medicine; and who decided on that restriction.

Steve Brine: The specification and search protocols for the rapid evidence assessment were based on Public Health England’s (PHE) previous experience of conducting evidence reviews and after consultation with members of the review’s expert reference group and other experts in the field. PHE has set a 10 year limit for collating research and other papers on this topic, so it can have a comprehensive set of current evidence, whilst being able to complete the report by spring 2019. Approximately 30,000 research papers and other reports will be examined and assessed for the rapid evidence assessment. Reports that reference and build upon research published before 2008 will also be accepted for the review.

Hampshire Liaison and Diversion Services

Mrs Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people received support from Hampshire Liaison and Diversion Services in (a) 2015, (b) 2016 and (c) 2017; and if he will make a statement.

Matt Hancock: The number of people who have received support from Hampshire Liaison and Diversion Services in:- 2015/16 financial year is 1,553 people (1,493 adults and 57 children/young people);- 2016/17 financial year is 1,309 people (1,077 adults and 232 children/young people); and- 2017/18 financial year is 2,112 people (1,712 Adults and 400 children/young people). Providing appropriate intervention and treatment at the right time and in the right place is vital to improving outcomes for people with mental health issues and problems with substance misuse. We know that treating offenders in the community can effectively reduce reoffending and can offer better value to the public purse. Prison is not the right place for people with severe mental health and substance misuse problems, which is why we are rolling out Liaison and Diversion services across the country.

Food Standards Agency

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has provided additional resources to the Food Standards Agency for the responsibilities set out in the regulating our future programme.

Steve Brine: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has confirmed that no additional resources to support the development and delivery of the FSA’s strategic regulatory modernisation programme, Regulating Our Future, have been made available from the Department.

Food: Standards

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how will assurance service providers be (a) monitored, (b) inspected and (c) audited under the Food Standards Agency regulating out future programme.

Steve Brine: The Regulating Our Future programme aims to modernise how food businesses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are regulated to check that our food is safe and what it says it is. Many businesses already invest heavily in processes that provide them with assurance that they are managing their food safety and standards-related risks, and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) is exploring how that assurance data and information can be used by regulators to inform the nature, frequency or intensity of official controls within the new regulatory operating model. A number of industry assurance schemes have been developed and operate with associated private voluntary standards; businesses can choose to be members of schemes or not. As a regulator it is not for the FSA to dictate how standards are developed and schemes operate, however, where the FSA recognises or plans to take into account information generated as part of voluntary third party assurance schemes to inform official controls, the FSA will set robust standards for how the assurance will need to be gathered and reported and the competency requirements for those people that make the compliance assessments. The FSA will monitor and have oversight that providers are meeting those standards and will take action where standards are not met to ensure public health is protected and consumer trust is maintained. Where a recognised scheme does not meet the standards set by the FSA, and any shortcomings cannot be addressed in a timely manner, the scheme would no longer be eligible to provide information to inform official controls. The FSA refers to private industry assurance that meets the standards that it has set for it to be eligible to inform official controls as ‘Regulated Private Assurance’. Directly applicable European Union legislation has facilitated the use of private industry assurance for a number of years and the approach being taken by the FSA is consistent with that legislation. Another form of Regulated Private Assurance is National Inspection Strategies (NIS), which are already provided for under legislation, and the FSA has been working with six primary authority partnerships in a pathfinder trial to explore how this approach can work in practice and to develop standards for the robust implementation of NIS for food. The FSA has published three draft standards for the operation of NIS on its website. These draft standards will now be tested in practice and further refined in order to provide for monitoring and oversight of the assurance providers.

Food Standards Agency

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help the Food Standards Agency establish assessment criteria to ensure that private assurance schemes’ standards (a) map to legislative requirements and (b) are robust.

Steve Brine: The Regulating Our Future (ROF) programme aims to modernise how food businesses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are regulated to check that our food is safe and what it says it is. Many businesses invest heavily in internal processes that provide them with the assurance that they are managing their food safety and food standards related risks. It is an underpinning principle for the future regulatory operating model that regulators should take into account all available sources of information. The ROF programme also considers obligations in directly applicable European Union legislation that requires regulators to take account of businesses’ own checks when planning food official controls. A number of industry assurance schemes have been developed and operate with associated private voluntary standards. Where the Food Standards Agency (FSA) recognises, or plans to take into account information generated as part of voluntary third -party assurance schemes to inform official controls, the FSA will set robust standards for how the assurance will need to be gathered and reported and the competency requirements for those people that make the compliance assessments. The FSA will monitor and have oversight that assurance providers are meeting those standards and will take action where standards are not met to ensure public health is protected and consumer trust is maintained. In certain sectors, notably the animal feed and primary production sectors, the FSA has already approved a number of assurance schemes and compliant members of those schemes receive less frequent proactive local authority and FSA checks or interventions, otherwise known as ‘earned recognition’. Part of the process leading to approval included mapping of the scheme standards to the relevant food or feed safety legislation to ensure appropriate coverage. Memoranda of Understanding are in place between the FSA and the scheme owners to enable oversight of this approach including quarterly review of the scheme's integrity/ governance, data on trends, areas of non-conformance, auditor monitoring; and, immediate notification to the FSA should an audit against scheme standards reveal a serious risk to public health. This enables prompt follow up by the regulator, either the FSA or local authority as appropriate. At an international level, the FSA is co-chairing a Codex working group that is drawing up international guidelines for countries to follow when considering how information generated, so that voluntary third-party assurance schemes may be used to inform national food control system planning. The FSA is contributing to the development of this guidance and will be aligning its proposals for use of information generated as part of third party assurance schemes with the international guidance.

Food: Standards

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the relationship between the (a) Food Standards Agency, (b) the European Food Safety Authority and (c) the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health will be after the UK leaves the EU.

Steve Brine: United Kingdom Government Departments are currently working together to understand the impact that withdrawal from the European Union will have on the relationship between the Food Standards Agency, the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA), other EU agencies and the European Commission. The UK has a long tradition of close scientific collaboration with the EFSA which we greatly value and hope to continue in the future. The nature of the UK’s future relationship with the EFSA and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, is subject to the negotiations.

Processed Food: Consumption

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help reduce the proportion of ultra-processed foods consumed.

Steve Brine: The Government encourages everyone to have a healthy balanced diet in line with the nation’s healthy eating model the Eatwell Guide. This is promoted through a variety of communications including the 5 A Day campaign, Public Health England’s (PHE) marketing campaigns such as One You and Change4Life and its catering guidance. The campaigns encourage people to read food labels, to reduce the consumption of foods high in fat, sugar and salt, and make healthier choices.As part of the programme of work to combat childhood obesity, PHE is running a reduction and reformulation programme and is working with a range of organisations, including the food industry, to reduce the calories, salt and sugar in processed foods that contribute most to intakes amongst children.

Allergies: Medical Treatments

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment (a) his Department and (b) the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency have made on the adequate needle length for an adrenalin autoinjector to deliver a dose.

Matt Hancock: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for licensing of medicines and undertook a review in 2014 into adrenaline auto-injectors, which included consideration of adrenaline auto-injector needle length to treat anaphylaxis. This concern was subsequently taken forward by the MHRA as part of a wider European safety review which reported in 2015. One conclusion from the European review was that studies in human volunteers were required for each brand of adrenaline auto-injector in order to evaluate the rate and extent of adrenaline uptake into the bloodstream. Brands available in the United Kingdom are Epipen, Jext and Emerade. A full evaluation will be undertaken when results from all currently marketed products are available, anticipated to be by end 2019. An additional legal requirement following the European safety review was that the exposed needle length for the respective devices should be included in the product information to inform the healthcare professional and patient. This has been implemented for all adrenaline auto-injector products sold throughout Europe. Other recommendations from the European review included improved training and educational materials for patients, carers and healthcare professionals and further improvements to the product information. This has been implemented for all adrenaline auto-injector products sold in the UK.

Wheelchairs: Procurement

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the contractual standards required by his Department are for the (a) issue and (b) renewal of private contracts with (a) Millbrook Healthcare and (b) other wheelchair providers.

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many contractual reviews his Department has undertaken on the private wheelchair provider Millbrook Healthcare over the last ten years.

Caroline Dinenage: This information is not held centrally. The majority of wheelchair services are commissioned locally by clinical commissioning groups.

Social Services

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the timeframe is for the publication of the Green Paper on Social Care.

Caroline Dinenage: As we want to integrate plans for social care with the new National Health Service Plan, we intend to publish the social care Green Paper alongside the NHS Plan later in the year.

Exercise

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the cost to the public purse of embedding physical activity into care pathways as recommended by the sporting future strategy 2015.

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the cost to the public purse of encouraging children to be physically active in their early years as set out in the sporting future strategy 2015.

Steve Brine: The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care regularly speaks to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on a range of issues. The Department does not hold a record of a discussion between the current Secretary of State and the Chancellor of the Exchequer on this specific issue.Officials from the Department of Health and Social Care have regular discussions with officials from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to review the implementation of Sporting Futures Strategy. Discussions include reviewing programmes to embed physical activity into care pathways and raising awareness of the United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers’ physical activity guidelines.

Prostate Cancer

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what non-medical support his Department offers to men with prostate cancer.

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what non-medical support is offered to men with (a) advanced prostate cancer and (b) locally advanced prostate cancer.

Steve Brine: Non-medical support for men with prostate cancer is provided by a range of National Health Service staff and non-NHS organisations. Clinical Nurse Specialists (or other staff) conduct holistic needs assessments (HNA) to identify a person’s practical, physical, emotional, spiritual, mental and social needs. The HNA is available to all patients, including those with advanced stages of cancer. The HNA helps inform a conversation and agreement with the person affected by cancer on how these needs could be met (a personalised care and support plan), which may include support with issues such as employment, relationship difficulties, housing and personal finance. This approach is currently being rolled out across England as part of the national cancer programme, with a focus around the time of diagnosis, treatment and recovery from primary treatment. While this approach is being established across England for people around the time of primary treatment, it is also important at times of ‘transition’, for example when cancer recurs and new treatment is offered, as needs will probably have changed. Anyone can request a HNA and review of their care plan at any time. Non-NHS organisations such as charities, local authorities and community groups are often part of local provision of health and wellbeing support and information that can assist people affected by cancer with non-medical issues.

Prostate Cancer: North West

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what medical programmes his Department supports in relation to (a) advanced prostate cancer and (b) locally advanced prostate cancer in the North West.

Steve Brine: Within Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance, our programme includes the delivery and implementation of a rapid diagnostic and treatment pathway for prostate cancer to deliver the 62-day standard and planning guidance. We are also focusing on implementation of risk stratified follow up pathways for patients following their prostate treatment. The availability of support, rehabilitation and services to promote self-management has greatly improved across our Alliance region as a result of this programme. All urology units in Cheshire and Merseyside are involved in these developments. Our Alliance is also one of five pilot sites nationally offering access to a quality of life survey aimed at highlighting the longer-term impact of a cancer diagnosis and treatment. This quality of life metric data will be developed with Public Health England and will further highlight variance in outcomes for people affected by cancer and help to inform our plans going forward. Within Lancashire and South Cumbria Cancer Alliance, three out of our four providers have implemented multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging and the fourth is in discussion regarding options for how they could resource this. All our providers are working on implementing the national timed prostate cancer pathway and all have action plans. There are regular meetings with our providers and performance is monitored at our Cancer Alliance Board. Risk Stratified follow up - our work is in line with national guidance to introduce the option of self-management follow up post treatment by the national timescale of March 2020. Advanced prostate cancer cases are discussed at both local and network/specialist Multi-Disciplinary Teams, where clinical decisions are made regarding treatment options. These include:- Radical surgery- robotic and non-robotic;- Oncology;- Hormone; and- Palliative. No decision is made without consultation with the patient to ensure they are fully aware of choices for them to make and this is supported by a Clinical Nurse Specialist.

Prostate Cancer

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make a comparative assessment of survival rates of prostate cancer across England.

Steve Brine: Prostate cancer has a one-year survival of 96% and five-year survival of 88%. For those diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer one-year survival is 100%; however, those diagnosed at stage 4 have one-year survival of 88%. Data is available at the following link: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/cancersurvivalinengland/adultstageatdiagnosisandchildhoodpatientsfollowedupto2016 Across Cancer Alliances, one-year survival ranges from 94.7% to 96.9%; with five-year survival ranging from 83.4% to 90.5%. Variation in uptake of prostate-specific antigen testing is likely to be the cause of much of the observed geographical variation. Further information is available at the following link: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/geographicpatternsofcancersurvivalinengland/adultsdiagnosed2011to2015andfollowedupto2016

Genito-urinary Medicine

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many sexual health screenings have been undertaken in sexual health clinics in each year since 2013.

Steve Brine: In England 7,373,761 sexually transmitted infection (STI) tests were carried out in 2013; 7,604,000 were carried out in 2014; 7,778,264 were carried out in 2015; 7,808,902 were carried out in 2016 and 7,772,537 were carried out in 2017. Data on testing for hepatitis A/B/C and herpes simplex virus are not available prior to 2015. Therefore, the STI testing total from 2015 onwards is not directly comparable to data from previous years.Data are not available by sexual health clinic.

Animal Experiments

Sir David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to reassess the requirements established by the European Medicines Agency guidelines implementing EU Directive 2001/83/EC on Medicinal Products for Human Use which specify that two species of mammal, one a non-rodent, must be used in repeated dose toxicity tests with a view to reviewing the use of dogs in such testing.

Matt Hancock: The requirement to use two mammalian species (one a non-rodent) in repeated dose toxicity is part of the International Conference on Harmonisation guideline on ‘Non-Clinical Safety Studies for the Conduct of Human Clinical Trials and Marketing Authorisation for Pharmaceuticals’, ICH M3(R2). The overall objective of this internationally agreed guideline is the promotion of safe and ethical development of new pharmaceuticals while reducing the use of animals in accordance with the 3R principles (reduce/refine/replace). There are no plans to reassess this requirement at present. The requirement is an integral part of a stepwise process involving an evaluation of both the animal and human safety information. The goals of the nonclinical safety evaluation generally include a characterisation of toxic effects with respect to target organs, dose dependence, relationship to exposure, and when appropriate, potential reversibility. Choice of species for nonclinical investigations are made based on scientific and ethical considerations. This information is important for how to test a candidate medicinal product in human trials, specifically for the estimation of an initial safe starting dose and dose range. The United Kingdom’s National Centre for the Replacement Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research continues to research the utility of using dogs in such investigations.

Genito-urinary Medicine

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people who were unable to access sexual health services in England in 2017 as a result of insufficient capacity in those services.

Steve Brine: There were 3,323,275 attendances at sexual health services in England in 2017, an increase of 3% from the previous year and a 13% increase in total attendances since 2013. No assessment has been made centrally of the number of people who were unable to access sexual health services as a result of insufficient capacity. Local authorities are best placed to determine local needs and have been mandated by the Government to commission comprehensive open access sexual health services.

Mental Health Services: Children

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to increase funding allocated to schemes to support children with mental health problems.

Matt Hancock: Implementing the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health, published by NHS England in 2016, sets out the planned expenditure for additional cash term funding for mental health through to 2020/21. We are making an additional £1.4 billion available in cash terms in order to transform services, which includes our ambition for an additional 70,000 children and young people a year to receive access to specialist mental health services by 2020/21. Clinical commissioning group (CCG) spending on children and young people’s mental health increased by 20% from £516 million in 2015/16 to £619 million in 2016/17. The latest refresh of the National Health Service mandate now requires for all CCGs to meet the Mental Health Investment Standard, which requires areas to increase mental health funding by at least the overall growth in their allocation each year. Our joint health and education Green Paper aims to further improve provision of services in schools and colleges, bolster links between schools, colleges and the NHS and pilot a four week waiting time. This is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision-a-green-paper The Government has announced a new five-year budget settlement for the NHS in June 2018, which will see funding grow on average by 3.4% in real terms each year. This will mean the NHS budget will increase by over £20 billion in real terms by 2023-24 compared with today. This additional funding will underpin a 10-year plan to guarantee the future of the NHS for the long term. NHS leaders are currently developing the long-term plan and, as such, no decision has yet been taken on the share of funds to be allocated to mental health services for children and young people under the multi-year financial settlement. However, the Government has been clear that significantly improving access to good mental health services is one of the principles it expects to underpin the long-term plan. The plan is currently in development and will be published later in the year.

General Practitioners

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to enable the provision of additional services in general practice clinics to reduce the workload in accident and emergency departments.

Steve Brine: The Government has committed to improving access to general practice services by March 2019. This includes ensuring there are sufficient routine appointments available at evenings and weekends to meet locally determined demand, alongside effective access to out of hours and urgent care services. This will help to reduce pressures on general practice and the wider system, including accident and emergency attendances. Millions of patients have already benefitted from improved access to general practice services. Expanded/extended access to general practice is one of the key elements of NHS England’s Urgent and Emergency Care (UEC) review. As set out in the Next Steps on the NHS Five Year Forward View, the aim of the UEC review is to make access to urgent and emergency services clearer for patients and to remove the mix of walk-in centres, minor injury units and urgent care centres, in addition to the numerous general practitioner health services and surgeries offering varied levels of core and extended services. To address this, new urgent treatment centres which are community and primary care facilities providing access to urgent treatment for a local population, are being introduced which will standardise this range of options and simplify the system so patients know where to go and have clarity of which services are on offer. NHS England has set out a core set of standards for urgent treatment centres to establish as much commonality as possible. To support improvements in patient care and access, and facilitate new ways of delivering primary care, investment in general practice has increased by £2.4 billion a year by 2020/2021 from £9.7 billion in 2015/16 to over £12 billion by 2020/21 – a 14% real-terms increase.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent research his Department has commissioned on irritable bowel syndrome; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Dinenage: The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including irritable bowel syndrome. It is not usual practice to ring-fence funds for particular topics or conditions. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality. Since 2015, the NIHR has continued to fund and support a range of research on irritable bowel syndrome, including four projects totalling approximately £3.8 million, and over 20 studies totalling approximately £557,000. This includes projects and studies with a post-2018 completion date.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to increase the number of staff who assist people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Stephen Barclay: National Health Service trusts and general practitioner surgeries are responsible for ensuring they have the right level and skill mix of staff available for the patients that seek their help with conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).The majority of people with COPD will largely receive their care from registered nurses, physiotherapists and healthcare support workers. Since 2010, there are over 12,200 more nurses on our wards, over 1,100 more physiotherapists and over 21,000 more healthcare staff providing support to doctors and nurses.

Carers: Young People

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that health, adult social care and children’s social care services work together to identify young carers.

Caroline Dinenage: On 5 June, the Department of Health and Social Care published the Carers Action Plan, which sets out a cross-government programme of targeted work to support carers over the next two years. The Action Plan has a particular focus on supporting young carers and contains a series of actions to achieve this. Through this, the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Education committed to working together to review best practice in the identification of young carers and their access to support. Through this we will be considering the role that a variety of agencies have in identifying young carers. We have committed to completing the review by Easter 2019.

Head Lice: Children

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of whether their is a causal link between the increased use of portable electronic devices and the (a) incidence and (b) prevalence of head lice in (i) primary and (ii) secondary school aged children; and what support his Department provides to schools to help (A) prevent and (B) treat head lice infestations.

Steve Brine: Public Health England has not carried out any assessment or study on the relationship between use of portable electronic devices and head lice in school aged children. School nurses and their teams as public health nurses provide advice and guidance to schools and parents on head lice prevention and treatment; however they do not check individual pupils’ hair. Parents are best placed to identify head lice and should be encouraged to regularly check their own child’s hair. Parents may also seek advice from their practice nurse or pharmacist.

Influenza: Vaccination

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department has issued to Clinical Commissioning Groups on the provision of flu vaccinations for people over the age of 70.

Steve Brine: NHS England wrote to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in February 2018 informing them of the recommended flu vaccines for the 2018/19 season which included the recommendation that adjuvanted trivalent flu vaccine (aTIV) should be used for those aged 65 years and over. A copy of NHS England’s letter is attached.A further letter and guidance was sent to practices, community pharmacies and CCGs in August 2018 to support programme planning, which are available at the following links:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/flu-vaccinations-for-2018-and-planning-flu-clinics-letter-from-david-geddes/https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/flu-vaccination-programme-delivery-guidance-2018-19/In September 2018, further guidance to support local planning of delivery of the flu programme for those aged over 65 years was issued. This is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/local-actions-to-ensure-ativ-is-offered-to-individuals-aged-65-years-and-over/There is also further information in Public Health England publications including the Annual flu letter and ‘Inactivated influenza vaccine: information for healthcare practitioners’, which are available at the following links:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-flu-immunisation-programme-planhttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inactivated-influenza-vaccine-information-for-healthcare-practitioners



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General Practitioners: Mental Illness

Sir Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the announcement made by the Chief Executive of NHS England at the International Practitioner Health Summit 2018, if he has plans to extend the Practitioner Health Programme to (a) nurses, (b) midwives, (c) other NHS practitioners and (d) professionals treating NHS patients.

Stephen Barclay: There are no plans to include nurses, midwives, other NHS practitioners or professionals treating National Health Service patients in the roll out of the Practitioner Health Programme, which is a free, confidential service for doctors and dentists who have mental health and/or addiction concerns, or physical health issues that may be affecting their mental health or ability to work. More information on the announcement can be found at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/2018/10/nhs-to-prioritise-doctors-mental-health/ NHS Improvement’s health and wellbeing collaborative involves 73 trusts which will identify and roll out 10 high impact actions as part of the NHS commitment to reducing NHS staff sickness absence by 1% by 2020 and to the public services average by 2022. Both the Framework and NHS Improvement health and wellbeing collaborative embed ‘Thriving at Work’ principles which are aimed at improving workplace mental health. NHS England has an incentive programme running to 2019 which encourages trusts to invest in innovative new services to support their staff health and wellbeing. To trigger the incentive payments, trusts have to demonstrate a 5% improvement or 75% positive response to two of three NHS Staff Survey questions on health and wellbeing.

Eating Disorders

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which clinical commissioning groups do not commission specialist eating disorder services for people aged 18 and over (a) in the community and (b) as in-patient services.

Matt Hancock: Holding answer received on 15 October 2018



This information is not held centrally. Specialist in-patient eating disorder services for people aged over 18 are commissioned by NHS England. Specialist community services for people aged over 18 with eating disorders are commissioned by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). NHS England does not hold information about all of the specific services commissioned by individual CCGs. We know that early intervention is vital and can prevent problems continuing into adulthood, that is why in 2015 the Government introduced waiting time targets to improve access to eating disorder services for children and young people. The Government is also investing £150 million to expand eating disorder community-based care and as a result 70 dedicated new or extended community services are now either open or in development. This means at least 3,350 children and young people a year will receive swift, effective eating disorder treatment in the community.

Mental Health Services: Children

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the Transforming mental health services for children who have experienced abuse or neglect report published by the NSPCC on 4 September 2018, which found that just 14 per cent of CCG's Local Transformation Plans contained an adequate needs assessment of abused and neglected children.

Matt Hancock: The mental health of children and young people, including of the most vulnerable, remains a priority for this Government. Local transformation plans are designed to meet the needs of all children and must set out local priorities from across the full spectrum of mental health services - from prevention and resilience building to support and care for existing and emerging mental health problems, as well as transitions between services. Children and young people should expect to have access to appropriate support based on their individual needs. The precise content of local transformation plans is a decision for local commissioners, based on the needs of their population. Individual local transformation plans will not necessarily cover every issue that can effect mental health and wellbeing, and they should be seen in context alongside other local protocols and safeguarding policies. NHS England are aware of the report and have concerns about its methodology, which have been raised previously with the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. The report identifies local transformation plans that lack specific wording or planning on abused children, and erroneously infers needs are not being met. The lack of reference to specific issue in a local transformation plan does not mean no action is being taken. Improving the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people requires organisations and individuals across the whole system to play their part, particularly when it comes to prevention and early intervention. NHS England has put significant resource into supporting integration and encouraging the clinical commissioning groups to develop local transformation plans with local authorities and schools and voluntary sector. NHS England published a comprehensive quantitative analysis of local transformation plans in March 2016, and in August 2016 it published a thematic review of them. This review included detailed analysis of developing models and approaches to identification and management of children and young people with extra vulnerability to mental health problems including those who have experienced abuse or neglect.

Prostate Cancer

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the change in the number of men presenting for appointments to check for prostate cancer at an early stage in the last ten years.

Steve Brine: The number of PSA tests for suspected prostate cancer in primary care is not routinely collected.

Mental Health Services: Children and Young People

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the research undertaken by the Health Service Journal, published on 30 August 2018 on waiting times for Tier 3 child and adolescent mental health services in 2017-18; and if he will make a statement.

Matt Hancock: Children and young people in need of mental health support should not be left waiting for long periods. In order to widen access to children and young people’s mental health services, we are spending more than ever before on mental health and making an additional £1.4 billion available for children’s mental health service transformation. Clinical commissioning group spend on children’s mental health has increased by 33% since 2015/16. The latest data suggests that we are on track to see an additional 70,000 children annually in specialist National Health Service mental health services by 2020/21. In addition, the Government has announced further plans to improve early intervention for mild to moderate mental health conditions, through better join up with schools and colleges. These plans were detailed in ‘Transforming Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services: a Green Paper’, which was published in December 2017; the key proposal to improve access to services is that we are creating a new workforce of Mental Health Support Teams, working in and near schools and colleges, with trained staff to deliver interventions to young people to support their mental health.

Mental Health Services: Children and Young People

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure children and young people's mental health is delivered in NHS Sustainability and Transformation plans.

Matt Hancock: Every clinical commissioning group, working closely with their partners, including children, young people and their families, has developed local transformation plans to transform their local offer for mental health and well-being services for children and young people. Local transformation plans now form part of sustainability and transformation plans.

Mental Health Services: Children

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) expanding and (b) training the children's mental health workforce is delivered in the NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plans.

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the research on NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs) published by Young Mind in September 2018, what steps he is taking to ensure that STPs meet the national targets for developing the mental health workforce; and if he will make a statement.

Matt Hancock: NHS England has made clear that all sustainability and transformation partnership (STP) planning for future years must include local expansion plans to recruit and retain mental health staff, including the children and young people’s mental health workforce. Health Education England regional mental health leads continue to work with NHS England and NHS Improvement regional leads to review and refine the STP regional workforce plans with the aim of ensuring that the increased activity committed to in ‘Stepping Forward’, the mental health workforce plan for England, will be delivered. This includes the commitment to training 1,700 new staff and 3,400 existing staff to deliver evidence based mental health care for children and young people and their families by 2020/21.

Mental Health Services: Young People

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the research on NHS Sustainability and Transformation plans (STP), published by Young Mind in September 2018, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the establishment of effective mental health crisis care for young people is a priority in STPs.

Matt Hancock: NHS England, which is responsible for setting the priorities and direction of the National Health Service, has set out to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), through ‘Implementing the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health (2016)’ and in the 2018/19 CCG Planning Guidance on Refreshing NHS Plans, that CCGs should be clear on how they are investing in expanding services, to commission all-age crisis resolution services in the community and 24 hours a day, seven days a week liaison mental health teams, that are appropriate for children and young people. We launched the national Mental Health Crisis Care Concordat in 2014 and every local area has a mental health crisis care concordat action plan in place setting out protocols for all local services working together to ensure that anyone experiencing a mental health crisis receives the care and support they need. Through the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health (2016) we are investing in improving mental health crisis care which includes £249 million to implement all-age mental health liaison teams in every acute hospital by 2020.

NHS: Drugs

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to NHS England’s medicines optimisation CQUIN scheme, how NHS England calculates best value; and what the percentage importance is that NHS England applies in its scoring to the (a) cost, (b) efficacy and (c) safety of treatments when making that calculation.

Steve Brine: Medicines Optimisation Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN) requires trusts to adopt best value generic/biologic products in 90% of new patients within one quarter of guidance being made available and best value generic/biologic products in 80% of applicable existing patients within one year of guidance being made available (except if standard treatment course is less than six months). Further information is attached.NHS England does not calculate best value. Best value is as defined within the commissioning framework and decisions about which product to use are made first on the basis of clinical judgement for individual patients and secondly on the basis of the overall value proposition offered by individual medicines. If more than one treatment is suitable, the best value biological medicine, including biosimilars, should be chosen taking into account transparently costed device training, any patient support programs offered by manufacturers, administration costs, dosage and price per dose.The medicines are all licensed and therefore have been demonstrated to be safe and effective by the regulatory authorities.



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Haemophilia: Medical Treatments

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what processes are in place to ensure that patients are able to continue on their existing haemophilia treatments regardless of the outcome of the NHS England tender for Factor IX haemophilia treatments.

Steve Brine: Patients for whom NHS England has commissioning responsibility will have access to treatments which are successful in their application to the upcoming Factor IX tender. Whilst there are no immediate plans for product switching, NHS England will continue to seek to optimise the value offered by all tenders which impact on healthcare budgets.

Haemophilia: Medical Treatments

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 4 September 2018 to Question 167276 on haemophilia: medical treatments, if he will provide figures on total expenditure on factor treatments for (a) factor VIII and (b) factor IX products for each fiscal year from 2007-08 to 2017-18.

Steve Brine: The following table provides an estimate of combined expenditure on Factor treatments for Factor VIII and Factor IX products for fiscal years from 2007/08.Combined expenditure is anticipated to be in excess of the values quoted in the following table. Since 2007/08, a number of updated frameworks have been published including that for recombinant Factor VIII in April 2014 with considerably lower prices which has reduced expenditure. Fiscal Year£ (millions)  2007/081372008/091642009/101762010/111922011/121872012/131702013/141752014/151612015/161652016/171682017/18170 A combined estimate of total expenditure on Factor VIII and Factor IX products has been provided due to commercial confidentiality.It is not possible to provide a breakdown between product areas for commercial reasons as this is likely to disclose pricing.

Haemophilia: Medical Treatments

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether NHS England sets minimum target trough levels of blood factor concentrate for the treatment of patients with (a) haemophilia A and (b) haemophilia B; and what processes NHS England has in place to determine appropriate trough levels.

Steve Brine: NHS England commissions the services for the clinical management of haemophilia A and haemophilia B as per current British Society for Haematology guidelines, which stipulate a minimum target trough factor level of 1% for Factor VIII. This target trough level is also applied to Factor IX in the management of haemophilia B. NHS England does not monitor, observe or determine individual or population trough levels.

Haemophilia: Medical Treatments

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to commissioning criteria 6a of NHS England’s Criteria for the Prescribing of Enhanced Half-Life Blood Factors, published on 22 September 2016, for what reason the prescribed factor VIII dose per infusion should be the same as the previous treatment regimen; and whether a patient who achieved higher trough levels than before from a higher dosage of EHLs than on their previous regimen would be switched back to their previous treatment regimen.

Steve Brine: The Criteria for the Prescribing of Enhanced Half-Life (EHL) Blood Factors were published after clinical consultation and advice. Clinical advice was consistent on all criteria. The advice received was that this would be clinically effective and appropriate to deliver the claimed benefits of treatment with an EHL factor compared with a standard half-life factor. The requirement to switch back to a standard half-life FVIII product is stipulated irrespective of any trough level achieved with an EHL factor VIII. The target trough level remains at 1%, although sometimes lower trough levels are appropriate as per British Society for Haematology guidelines.

NHS: Subsidiary Companies

Ruth George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the article on Regulatory approach to subsidiary companies pubished in the Provider bulletin: 19 September 2018 by NHS Improvement, whether the pause on plans to create new subsidiaries or change existing subsidiaries has been applied to (a) Chesterfield Royal Hospital and (b) other hospitals.

Stephen Barclay: On 19 September 2018, NHS Improvement, the national regulator, told National Health Service organisations including Chesterfield Royal Hospital to ‘pause’ any ongoing plans to create new subsidiary companies and wait for new guidance, following a four-week consultation on a new regulatory approach which is due to be launched shortly. The pause does not preclude organisations that are currently working up proposals for a subsidiary from continuing to do so.

Speech and Language Disorders: Children

Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 18 June 2018 to Question 153418 on Young Offenders: Speech and Language Disorders, what discussions his Department has held with (a) I CAN and (b) the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists on the Bercow: Ten Years On report, published on 20 March 2018; and what further discussions his Department has planned to hold.

Caroline Dinenage: Departmental officials have met with I CAN and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists in August to discuss the ‘Bercow: Ten Years On’ report and I will meet them again in the future.

Mental Health Services: Children

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people under the age of 18 had to wait longer than four weeks to access CAMHS services in the last 12 months; and what the national average waiting time was to access CAMHS services in that time period.

Matt Hancock: Data in the format requested is currently not available.

Colorectal Cancer: Screening

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that pathology and endoscopy staff are supported to deal with an increase in demand for services as a result of lowering the bowel cancer screening age to 50.

Steve Brine: We are considering how best to extend bowel cancer screening to men and women from age 50, including workforce implications. However, Health Education England published its first ever Cancer Workforce Plan in December 2017, which commits to the expansion of capacity and skills including an ambition to increase improved working practices, attracting qualified people back to the National Health Service through domestic and international recruitment. This will include 200 additional clinical endoscopists (in addition to 200 already committed to), 316 more gastroenterologists and 94 full time equivalent additional histopathologists to support an increase in the capacity for earlier diagnosis.

Dementia: Health Services

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people diagnosed with dementia have access to clinical support within a reasonable travelling distance from their home.

Steve Brine: The number of PSA tests for suspected prostate cancer in primary care is not routinely collected.

Prime Minister

Children and Young People

Nick Smith: To ask the Prime Minister, with reference to the press release entitled Leader of the Commons to chair ministerial group on family support from conception to the age of two, published in July 2018, whether she has plans to establish a working group to cover the entire range of children and young people to build on the work of the working group announced in that press release.

Mrs Theresa May: The Ministerial Group was specifically set up to review how to improve the support available to families in the period around childbirth to the age of 2.

Department for Work and Pensions

Department for Work and Pensions: Telephone Services

Dr Paul Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 16 April 2018 to Question 134635 on the Department for Work and Pensions: telephone services, how many times her Department has made a referral to the National Trading Standards Board about a website that has failed to publicise the cost of a call to her Department since the introduction of freephone numbers in 2017.

Justin Tomlinson: Since the introduction of freephone numbers at the end of 2017, the Department for Work and Pensions has referred 6 websites to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau following concerns about the how the information relating to the cost of calls is displayed. The referrals were made to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau rather than the National Trading Standards Board due to the nature of the concerns relating to the information on the cost of calls.

Children: Maintenance

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) passports and (b) driving licenses have been removed from people for non-payment of child maintenance; and how many people received a custodial sentence for non-payment of child maintenance in the last year for which figures are available.

Justin Tomlinson: The Child Support regulations recently laid in Parliament include changes to enable the Child Maintenance Service to disqualify a paying parent with child maintenance arrears from holding or obtaining a UK passport. These changes are expected to come into force in November subject to them gaining Parliamentary approval.The number of driving licences removed and the number of custodial sentences as a result of non-payment of child maintenance for the period of June 2017 to June 2018 is as follows:Immediate disqualification from driving 7Immediate imprisonment 4

Social Security Benefits: Terminal Illnesses

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many DS1500 forms have been issued in each of the last five years.

Sarah Newton: This information is not collected as DWP do not issue the DS1500 report. GPs and Consultants have direct access to the blank DS1500 report and send the completed report to DWP.

Personal Independence Payment

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when her Department plans to publish the updated guidance on reassessments for personal independence payment claimants with severe or progressive conditions requiring high level support.

Sarah Newton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 10 October 2018 to Question UIN174062

Home Care Services: Disability

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Government’s response to recommendation 45 (c) in its follow up report to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Concluding Observations, what steps the Government plans to take to tackle the wide variations in local authority support for disabled people to live independently as a result of the (a) closure of the Independent Living Fund, and (b) decision not to provide ring-fenced funding to local councils when responsibility was devolved.

Sarah Newton: The Independent Living Fund (ILF) was transferred to local authorities and devolved administrations in 2015. When the Department transferred responsibility to the local authorities and devolved administrations it provided extensive support and committed to monitor the impact. The review was published in January 2017.The Department of Health has responsibility for on-going ILF policy through the Care Act, which regulates Adult Social Care; The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government decide how much funding local authorities receive.To ensure that these new responsibilities were handled in a way which was appropriate to the local context, the transference of responsibility did not stipulate a national framework, nor was there any mandatory ring-fencing of the funds. Local authorities and devolved administrations therefore adopted different approaches to manage the transition within a local context.

Personal Independence Payment: Mental Illness

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2018 to Question 124308 on Personal Independence Payment: Mental Illness, what the  timeframe is for the completion of the review; and what estimate she has made of the number of claimants affected by that review.

Sarah Newton: As outlined in the Written Statement of 25 June 2018 (HCWS793) my Department has begun carrying out an administrative exercise to identify anyone who may be entitled to more support under Personal Independence Payment (PIP) as a result of the MH and RJ judgments. We have estimated that approximately 200,000 claimants will gain as a result of the MH judgment by 2023-24 and will be monitoring the outcomes of the exercise.In regard to timing, we absolutely understand the urgency of this work, but we are also committed to carrying it out safely and correctly to ensure claimants receive the payments they are entitled to. I have committed to keeping the House updated and a statement on progress of the exercise will be tabled in the autumn.

Disability: Pay

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Government’s response to Recommendation 57 (a) to the report by the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’ Concluding Observations, what steps the Government is taking to ensure the regular publication of data on the disability pay gap.

Sarah Newton: In the November 2017 publication Improving Lives: the Future of Work, Health and Disability,  Government committed to publishing annual statistical updates to monitor progress towards our goal to see 1 million more disabled people in work. These will be published later this year. The Government is currently developing further plans to consider transparency and reporting and details will be announced in due course.

Access to Work Programme

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Government’s response to recommendation 57 of the report of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’ Concluding Observations, what assessment the Government has made of the effect on the the Access to Work cap of (a) the development of an effective employment policy for persons with disabilities and (b) the duty set to ensure that adjustments and support necessary to access work are provided.

Sarah Newton: The evidence suggests that our employment policies and support are proving effective. The number of disabled people in work in the UK increased by almost 600,000 in 4 years to reach around 3.5 million in 2017. Our response to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’ Concluding Observations lists many of the initiatives that comprise our strategy to enable one million more disabled people into work by 2027. Access to Work is part of this strategy and helps disabled people to be able to take up work or stay in work. This is why in 2015 we reformed the scheme to enable it to continue to help as many people as possible, and to provide incentives for customers and employers to make the best use of taxpayer funding. Access to Work goes well beyond recommendation 57c of the UNCRPD report on ensuring that reasonable adjustments are in place. Access to Work provides help above reasonable adjustments. Access to Work awards can have a very significant value, up to the cap of £57,200 per person per year which came into full effect from April 2018. DWP is continuing to monitor the Cap’s impact. Overall levels of approvals have remained stable over recent years and there is no evidence of divergence from this trend since the Cap was introduced in 2015. Although DWP has not formally assessed its impact on wider employment policy for persons with disabilities, the data available so far do not suggest that the Cap has adversely affected the development of effective employment policy, nor failed to satisfy the duty to ensure that adjustments and support necessary to access work are provided. More recently, an update to the 2015 equality analysis for reforming the Access to Work scheme was published on 9 May 2018. This update provides a full analysis and may be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/future-of-access-to-work-an-update-to-the-may-2015-equality-analysis

Disability and Society Ministerial Group

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the letter of 31 August 2018 from the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work to the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, what (a) are the terms of reference and (b) is the (i) meeting schedule and (ii) membership of the Inter-Ministerial Group on Disability and Society.

Sarah Newton: The Disability and Society Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) was set up in the spring/summer this year and its purpose is to drive forward action across government to tackle the barriers disabled people face to realising their full participation in society, including increasing disability employment rates and improving access to sport, culture and transport. The Terms of Reference (ToR) for this IMG, including membership are published on Gov.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/office-for-disability-issues/about#the-inter-ministerial-group-on-disability-and-societyDetails about the meetings, including discussion and schedules, are confidential - to allow full and frank discussions between Government Ministers.

Personal Independence Payment

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many personal independence claimants claimants had their decision overturned at (a) mandatory reconsideration and (b) Tribunal in the last 12 months.

Sarah Newton: Information on the number of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Mandatory Reconsideration clearances by type is given in Table 7b of the quarterly statistical publication “Personal Independence Payment: Official Statistics to July 2018”, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-independence-payment-april-2013-to-july-2018 Information on the number of PIP appeals by outcome is given in Table SSCS_3 of the quarterly statistical publication “Tribunals and gender recognition certificate statistics quarterly: April to June 2018”, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tribunals-and-gender-recognition-certificate-statistics-quarterly-april-to-june-2018 Since PIP was introduced 3.5m decisions have been made, of these 9% have been appealed and 4% have been overturned.

Universal Credit

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance does his Department issue to jobcentre staff providing benefits advice to claimants on claiming universal credit if they are found fit to work following a Work Capability Assessment decision.

Alok Sharma: Comprehensive guidance outlining the support we provide to claimants is readily accessible to all work coaches across the Jobcentre network. This guidance includes specific information on supporting claimants who have made a claim to Universal Credit following a Work Capability Assessment decision. Universal Credit guidance is published in the House of Commons Library and the Department is committed to refreshing the information on a regular basis. We are fully committed to providing personalised support for all claimants, including vulnerable groups. Each individual’s circumstances are different and therefore their barriers to work and the support required must be tailored to their needs. Work coaches are supported in building a strong relationship with their claimants through a comprehensive training and accreditation programme which includes support to identify and help claimants with complex needs. All work coaches delivering Universal Credit receive training on supporting claimants with health conditions.

Universal Credit

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to support people with low computer literacy to access universal credit.

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to support people who do not have a computer to access universal credit.

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to support people with inconsistent internet access to access universal credit.

Alok Sharma: Most people claiming Universal Credit will be able to access and navigate the internet, to make and maintain their Universal Credit account. Our published Universal Credit Claimant Survey found that 98 per cent of claimants did claim online, and the majority of those said they found the claim process overall to be easy. However, we recognise that some will need help. For those requiring help, assistance is available through Universal Support. On 1 October 2018 we announced the Department’s new partnership with Citizens Advice (and Citizens Advice Scotland) to provide an improved nationwide Universal Support. Assisted Digital Support, which is a component of Universal Support, provides help, support and skills claimants need to make and maintain their digital account online. Further support is offered via training courses which claimants are referred to by their work coaches. Additionally, all jobcentres across the country have Wi-Fi and computers available for claimants to access the internet. For those few that are still unable to access or use digital services, or are not able to travel, assistance to make and maintain their claim is available vial the Freephone UC helpline. The UC Service Centre will establish the best means of support available, and in exceptional circumstances, a home visit can be arranged to support a claimant in making and maintaining their claim.

Pensions: Consumer Information

Janet Daby: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make it her policy to include the state pension in the pensions dashboard system.

Guy Opperman: I published a written statement providing an update on pensions including the pension’s dashboard. (https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-09-04/HCWS933/) People can access the online ‘Check your State Pension’ service through GOV.UK to get a forecast of their State Pension, where they can get information about how they may be able to improve it, as well as view their National Insurance contribution record. Check Your State Pension has provided more than ten million online estimates since its introduction in 2016. As part of our feasibility work we have been considering whether State Pension data should be available alongside private pension information. We will shortly report on the findings from the feasibility study.

Child Maintenance Service

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has plans to undertake a review of the enforcement powers of the Child Maintenance Service.

Justin Tomlinson: Effective, consistent enforcement is crucial to making sure that Child Maintenance arrangements hold, and deliver the best outcomes for children. My Department already has a range of enforcement powers at its disposal, including the ability to deduct directly from a non-resident parent’s earnings and bank accounts; the use of enforcement agents to take control of goods; and forcing the sale of the non-resident parent’s property. Following consultation earlier this year, my department recently laid regulations to support our new compliance and arrears strategy. Alongside making more effective use of existing enforcement powers, these regulations will allow the Child Maintenance Service to make deductions from joint and business accounts; and to apply to the courts to disqualify non-compliant paying parents from holding a passport, where appropriate.

Pensions: Consumer Information

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Written Statement of 4 September 2018 on Pensions Update, HCWS933, whether the proposed pensions dashboard will (a) legally require the participation of all pensions providers, (b) include the state pension and (c) provide clear and neutral information about the users’ pensions.

Guy Opperman: The DWP are working through the options around scheme participation in any potential pensions dashboard. The decision whether to legislate to compel participation depends on a number of complex issues such as the functionality, delivery model and governance arrangements. Our findings on this will be included in the feasibility study which will be published shortly. People can access the online ‘Check your State Pension’ service through GOV.UK to get a forecast of their State Pension, where they can get information about how they may be able to improve it, as well as view their National Insurance contribution record. Check Your State Pension has provided more than ten million online estimates since its introduction in 2016. As part of our feasibility work we have been considering whether State Pension data should be available alongside private pension information. A dashboard will provide pensions information in a clear and simple form.

Social Security Benefits

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people affected by the lower benefit cap in May 2018 were also affected by the cap in February 2017.

Justin Tomlinson: The Lower Benefit Cap was introduced on 7th November, 2016. There were 27,000 households who had their Housing Benefit capped in both February 2017 and May 2018. 1,000 households had their Universal Credit capped in both February 2017 and May 2018.

Social Security Benefits

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people no longer affected by the lower benefit cap became exempt because they became in receipt of (a) employment and support allowance (support group), (b) personal independent payments and (c) another exempting benefit.

Justin Tomlinson: The breakdown of information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. The total number of households that no longer had their Housing Benefit capped at May 2018 because they became exempt as they were in receipt of an exempt benefit is published here: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk. Guidance for users is available at: https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html.

Children: Maintenance

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information her Department holds on the level of successful collections of child maintenance for (a) employed payees and (b) self employed payees.

Justin Tomlinson: The Child Maintenance Service includes two service types: ‘Direct Pay’ where payments are arranged and agreed between parents, and ‘Collect & Pay’ where payments are collected and paid to the receiving parent by Child Maintenance Service.The Department does not record data for direct pay compliance. If the paying parent don't pay they can be moved onto the Collect and Pay at the discretion of the child maintenance service. The department does hold data on the compliance of Collect and Pay arrangements. Please refer to Table 7 of the Child Maintenance Service Statistics. Data on compliance is recorded separately to data on employment status. Although the department does hold some of the data to answer your question we estimate the cost of complying with your request would exceed the appropriate limit for central government, set by regulation at £600.This represents the estimated cost of one person spending 3 and half working days in determining whether the department holds the information, locating, retrieving and extracting it. We believe it would take longer than 3 and half days to match the compliance of a paying parent with their employment status. As a result, under section 12 of the Freedom of information Act the department is not therefore obliged to comply with your request and we will not be processing it further. The Child Maintenance Service Statistics which shows overall compliance n be found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-maintenance-service-august-2013-to-june-2018-experimental

Pensions: Consumer Information

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether it is her Department's policy that all pensions provider will be required to sign up to the pensions dashboard; and whether the state pension will be included in the pensions dashboard.

Guy Opperman: I published a written statement providing an update on pensions including the pensions dashboard. (https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-09-04/HCWS933/) We are working through the options around scheme participation in any potential pensions dashboard. The decision whether to legislate to compel participation depends on a number of factors such as the potential service design, delivery model and governance arrangements. Our findings on this will be included in the feasibility study which will be published shortly. People can access the online ‘Check your State Pension’ service through GOV.UK to get a forecast of their State Pension, where they can get information about how they may be able to improve it, as well as view their National Insurance contribution record. Check Your State Pension has provided more than ten million online estimates since its introduction in 2016. As part of our feasibility work we have been considering whether State Pension data should be available alongside private pension information.

Access to Work Programme

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the delay in (a) self-employed and (b) freelance applicants being granted Access to Work payments.

Sarah Newton: The Access to Work processing team has consistently been achieving its processing performance targets. While some individual cases may take longer to process than others, there is no evidence of any systemic delay in processing applications, including those from self-employed or freelance applicants. Access to Work has a specialist self-employment team to help self-employed customers with their applications.

Independent Case Examiner

Emma Dent Coad: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 26 June 2018 to Question 155403 on Independent Case Examiner: Complaints, if how much additional resource has been allocated to the Independent Case Examiner in 2018-19 to reduce the current 60 week waiting time for a decision.

Justin Tomlinson: The Independent Case Examiner’s Office has received funding to recruit thirteen addititonal staff in the 2018/19 reporting year.

Independent Case Examiner

Emma Dent Coad: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many complaints have been (a) received and (b) determined by the Independent Case Examiner in each year since 2010.

Justin Tomlinson: The table below details the number of complaints (a) received (including the number accepted for examination) and (b) determined by the Independent Case Examiner in each full reporting year since 2010. Reporting YearReceivedAccepted for ExaminationResolved or Settled to the complainants satisfactionDetermined by the Independent Case Examiner2010/11337113337466412011/12267211785557712012/13294910013608992013/14323311263777862014/15326811492298882015/16262811011715862016/17294011372116602017/1858572784224698

Social Security Benefits: Greater London

Emma Dent Coad: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of claimants affected by the Benefit Cap in each London borough are in receipt of (a) Job Seekers Allowance, (b) Employment Support Allowance, (c) Income Support, and (d) Universal Credit and (e) another benefit.

Justin Tomlinson: The number of households in each London borough that had their Housing Benefit capped in May 2018 in receipt of (a) Job Seekers Allowance, (b) Employment Support Allowance, (c) Income SupportLondon BoroughTotal number of households that had their Housing Benefit cappedNumber of households in receipt of:a) Jobseeker's Allowanceb) Employment and Support Allowance (Work-Related Activity Group and awaiting assessment)c) Income SupportBarking and Dagenham3236232167Barnet764200140234Bexley2212624129Brent1,200420205309Bromley2062515133Camden449146101121City of London7000Croydon3003626180Ealing1,100330122408Enfield968133139500Greenwich2874322180Hackney966300166305Hammersmith and Fulham2355634108Haringey631111108276Harrow2865422125Havering2173117117Hillingdon3656634195Hounslow18322897Islington35510950148Kensington and Chelsea3286678106Kingston upon Thames165463164Lambeth4576758250Lewisham4767472282Merton140341163Newham71116587290Redbridge2594734117Richmond upon Thames141212569Southwark3012236189Sutton628634Tower Hamlets60814568283Waltham Forest4159038203Wandsworth50713879191Westminster477129109125 The total number of households that have their Housing Benefit capped have been randomly adjusted to avoid the release of confidential data. This is consistent with published statistics. More information on this can be found in Stat-Xplore, DWP’s online interactive tabulation tool. Stat-Xplore can be accessed here: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/ In the breakdowns by benefit figures less than 5 have been removed to avoid the release of confidential data. The proportion of households in each London borough that had their Housing Benefit capped in May 2018 in receipt of (a) Job Seekers Allowance, (b) Employment Support Allowance, (c) Income SupportLondon BoroughProportion of households in receipt of Housing Benefit that were in receipt of: a) Jobseeker's Allowanceb) Employment and Support Allowance (Work-Related Activity Group and awaiting assessment)c) Income SupportBarking and Dagenham19%10%52%Barnet26%18%31%Bexley12%11%58%Brent35%17%26%Bromley12%7%65%Camden33%22%27%City of London0%0%0%Croydon12%9%60%Ealing30%11%37%Enfield14%14%52%Greenwich15%8%63%Hackney31%17%32%Hammersmith and Fulham24%14%46%Haringey18%17%44%Harrow19%8%44%Havering14%8%54%Hillingdon18%9%53%Hounslow12%4%53%Islington31%14%42%Kensington and Chelsea20%24%32%Kingston upon Thames28%19%39%Lambeth15%13%55%Lewisham16%15%59%Merton24%8%45%Newham23%12%41%Redbridge18%13%45%Richmond upon Thames15%18%49%Southwark7%12%63%Sutton13%10%55%Tower Hamlets24%11%47%Waltham Forest22%9%49%Wandsworth27%16%38%Westminster27%23%26% The number of households in each London borough that had their Universal Credit capped in May 2018 in receipt of (d) Universal Credit   London Boroughd) Universal CreditBarking and Dagenham10Barnet20Bexley0Brent30Bromley0Camden10City of London0Croydon530Ealing110Enfield130Greenwich0Hackney10Hammersmith and Fulham310Haringey0Harrow0Havering0Hillingdon20Hounslow410Islington0Kensington and Chelsea160Kingston upon Thames10Lambeth70Lewisham50Merton70Newham0Redbridge0Richmond upon Thames30Southwark250Sutton130Tower Hamlets320Waltham Forest0Wandsworth70Westminster20 Figures for the number of households that had their Universal Credit capped have been rounded to the nearest 10 and figures less than 5 have been removed to avoid the release of confidential data. This is consistent with published statistics. All households that had their Universal Credit capped in May 2018 were in receipt of Universal Credit. (e) All households that had their Housing Benefit capped in May 2018 were in receipt of Housing Benefit. Figures for households that had Housing Benefit capped are presented separately to those that had their Universal Credit capped in line with the Benefit Cap official statistics. Figures for the total number of households that had their Housing Benefit capped are consistent with published figures on Stat Xplore.

Food Banks: North West

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many personnel from (a) Cumbria Constabulary, (b) Lancashire Constabulary and (c) Merseyside Constabulary her Department has (i) sign posted and (ii) recorded as made use of a local food bank in each of the last 12 months.

Justin Tomlinson: In line with the guidance issued to Jobcentre Plus staff, they are not required to keep records of the number of benefit claimants signposted to food banks in their local area.

Social Security Benefits: Overpayments

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will place in the Library a copy of her Department's Repayment Negotiation Framework.

Justin Tomlinson: This framework is contained within the Benefit Overpayment Recovery Guide which can be found on Gov.uk via the link below. The Repayment Negotiation Framework can be found on page 38, paragraph 5.68. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/616116/benefit-overpayment-recovery-guide.pdf

Maternity Allowance: Adoption

Mrs Kemi Badenoch: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of extending statutory maternity allowance to adopting parents.

Justin Tomlinson: Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP), and Maternity Allowance (MA), are paid to women to replace earnings to help them take time off work before and after their baby is born. They are primarily paid in the interests of women and their babies’ health and wellbeing. It would not therefore be appropriate to extend maternity benefits to adopting parents. Statutory Adoption Pay is available for employees who take time off to adopt a child. Prospective adopters and children they intend to adopt are also entitled to an assessment of their family’s needs. This includes a range of support including discretionary means-tested financial support, advice, information, counselling, and support services.

Universal Credit

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of research by the Trussell Trust which found a 52 per cent increase in food bank usage in areas where universal credit has been implemented for 12 months or more.

Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the press release entitled Foodbank demand soars across the UK, published by the Trussell Trust, published on 8 November 2017, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of that research which found a 30 per cent increase in food banks usage in the first six months in areas in which universal credit has been rolled out.

Alok Sharma: We work closely with The Trussell Trust and welcome their feedback. It is worth noting that much of their analysis was carried out before the improvements we announced at Autumn Budget 2017, and which were introduced earlier this year. The comprehensive and wide-ranging package worth £1.5 billion to help people in their first assessment period included, the abolition of waiting days, the introduction of advances up to 100% of a claimant’s indicative award (repayable over a period of up to 12 months), and a two week transitional payment for those previously claiming Housing Benefit. The Trussell Trust welcomed our changes in the Budget saying they would “ease the pressure on thousands of households on very low incomes” and “shows that Government is listening”. Earlier this month, we announced a new partnership with Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland to deliver Universal Support. We want to make sure that the most vulnerable people get the best possible support when claiming Universal Credit. Citizens Advice will help deliver a high-quality and consistent service to people claiming Universal Credit, to assist them manage their claim, get paid on time and budget effectively. This was welcomed by the Trussell Trust.

Universal Credit

Ruth George: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the effect of the conclusions of the report, Rolling Out Universal Credit, published by the National Audit Office in June 2018, on delivery confidence assessments made by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority.

Alok Sharma: Holding answer received on 15 October 2018



The Infrastructure and Projects Authority conducted a review of the Full Business Case and found that it was ‘affordable and providing value for money’. The Review Team gave the Business Case an Amber/Green Delivery Confidence Assessment Rating, reporting that they were satisfied that the Programme will make the benefits system ‘Cheaper, Simpler and Better’. The Full Business Case shows that Universal Credit is projected to help 200,000 people into work, adding £8 billion per annum to the economy when it is fully rolled-out. These are estimates, based on analysis that has been signed off by the Treasury and are monitored by a robust process of benefit realisation. We published a summary of the Business Case which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-programme-full-business-case-summary. The National Audit Office had access to the IPA reports and to the Business Case in reaching its determination that the value for money of Universal Credit is as yet unproven. The Government’s conclusion is clear that Universal Credit represents value for money, an agile, adaptable system, fit for the 21st century, helping people to transform their lives through work - while supporting those who cannot work.

Universal Credit

Ruth George: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what is the Infrastructure and Projects Authority's most recent delivery confidence assessment on the roll-out of universal credit.

Alok Sharma: The Infrastructure and Projects Authority conducted a review of the Full Business case found that it was ‘affordable and providing value for money’. The Review Team gave the Business Case an Amber/Green Delivery Confidence Assessment Rating, reporting that they were satisfied that the Programme will make the benefits system ‘Cheaper, Simpler and Better’

Personal Independence Payment: Hearing Impairment

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with a primary disability of deafness or hearing impairment aged 16 to 25 applied for personal independence payments in the latest year for which figures are available.

Sarah Newton: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Personal Independence Payment: Hearing Impairment

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the outcome was of all applications that deaf people aged 16 to 25 made for personal independence payment; how many of those people (a) requested a mandatory reconsideration or (b) appealed to the social security tribunal; and what the outcome was of those (i) reconsiderations and (ii) appeals in the last year for which figures are available.

Sarah Newton: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Social Security Benefits: Epilepsy

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will bring forward in assessments for (a) employment and support allowance and (b) universal credit a limited capability for work-related activity descriptor for people suffering multiple epileptic seizures on a weekly basis.

Sarah Newton: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Universal Credit: Disability

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her recent appearance on BBC News at 12.53pm on 11 October 2018, what the evidential basis is for her statement that one million disabled people will get significantly more on universal credit.

Alok Sharma: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Pension Funds

Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has plans to submit a formal response to the consultation undertaken by the Financial Conduct Authority on changes to rules governing the operation of Independent Governance Committees in Quarter 1 2019.

Guy Opperman: We welcome the Financial Conduct Authority’s commitment to consult on the changes to IGC rules. It is important that independent regulators regularly review their rules, consulting where appropriate, to determine whether they need to be changed. Government departments do not respond to FCA consultations – however, we regularly engage with the FCA on many issues relating to pensions, to ensure a coherent regulatory approach across contract based and occupational schemes. This includes engagement on issues relating to pension scheme governance and investment policies.

Universal Credit

Ruth George: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the most recent universal credit programme risk register will be made available.

Ruth George: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has undertaken a risk register for the universal credit programme.

Alok Sharma: It is not the Government’s policy to publish documents of this nature, to allow space for private discussions. The Universal Credit programme is already subject to a robust regime of internal and external scrutiny, including oversight from the Work and Pensions Select Committee, the Public Accounts Committee, the National Audit Office and the Infrastructure and Projects Authority.

Department for Work and Pensions: Written Questions

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what cost threshold her Department uses to determine which parliamentary questions should not be answered on disproportionate cost grounds.

Justin Tomlinson: The Department for Work and Pensions follows guidance from Cabinet Office in setting the Disproportionate Cost Threshold (DCT). Since 1991 the threshold has been set at eight times the average marginal cost of answering Written Parliamentary Questions. Marginal cost is judged as the direct cost of Civil Servants' time. The threshold is increased in £50 steps to avoid the need for frequent small changes. The current Disproportionate Cost Threshold across Government is £850.

Universal Credit: Terminal Illnesses

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has a fast track process to ensure that a claimant who has submitted a DS1500 receives the first Universal Credit payment within seven days; and if she will make a statement.

Alok Sharma: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Universal Credit: Terminal Illnesses

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants who have submitted a DS1500 form have waited (i) two weeks; (ii) three weeks; (iii) four weeks; (iv) five weeks or more to receive their first Universal Credit payment in the most recent twelve month period for which data are available.

Alok Sharma: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Home Office

Visas

Laura Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to improve the communication applicants receive on the progress of their visa application.

Caroline Nokes: UKVI are bringing in a new streamlined online journey for most application types, with an intuitive easy-to-use form. This will provide an improved online customer journey, making it easier and quicker for customers to complete applications and keeping the customer informed via notifications throughout the process.

Police

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many meetings he has held with (a) the strategic lead of the National Police Coordination Centre and (b) the NPCC national lead on contingencies, planning and resilience on the police contingency for the UK leaving the EU without a deal since his appointment and up to 12 September 2018.

Mr Nick Hurd: My officials in the Home Office are working closely with the National Police Co-ordination Centre (NPoCC) and with the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) to determine the impact of EU Exit on policing and plan accordingly.It is entirely responsible and appropriate that we prepare for every eventuality and we will continue to work closely with our policing partners on contingency planning to ensure the safety and security of our citizens.

Home Office: Brexit

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Written Statement of 13 March 2018 on Spring Statement, HCWS540, how much of that funding he has allocated to (a) programmes, (b) administration and (c) staffing in his Department.

Victoria Atkins: For the financial year 2018-19, the department will receive an allocation of £395 million from HM Treasury to continue preparing for the UK to leave the EU. The Main Estimate will be amended through the Supplementary Estimate process later this year to reflect this.

Asylum: Housing

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if his Department will take steps to improve its communication with local authorities, community organisations and the Third Sector on decisions relating to the location of asylum accommodation; and what progress his Department is making in recognising each of those groups as key stakeholders in such decisions.

Caroline Nokes: The COMPASS contracts place an obligation on accommodation Providers to consult Local Authorities on the procurement of any new properties to be used for the purposes of asylum accommodation.The Home Office fund Regional Strategic Migration Partnerships. These partnerships bring together the national, regional and local public sector to coordinate activity to deal with effects of the immigration system on local economies and communities.

Corrosive Substances

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of police officers that will be equipped with street testing kits for corrosives.

Victoria Atkins: This would be an operational matter for Chief Constables to determine and likely to be based on whether officers are patrolling in areas where there is a high incidence of attacks involving corrosives or intelligence about the risk of such an attack.

Missing Persons: Children

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any funding requests have been received by police forces in the last 12 months relating to the search for missing children; how much such funding has been made available; and which police forces have received such funding.

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any funding requests have been received by police forces in the last 12 months relating to investigations into child sexual exploitation; how much such funding has been made available; and which police forces have received such funding.

Mr Nick Hurd: The Home Office has provided £150,000 in Special Grant funding to the Metropolitan Police Service for Operation Grange for 2018/19. A further application from the Metropolitan Police Service has been received and is under consideration. No further requests have been received relating to the search for missing children.The Home Office has received several requests for Special Grant funding relating to investigations into child sexual exploitation. For 2018/19, the Home Office has agreed to provide up to £1.9 million to Norfolk Police for Operation Hydrant, £995,000 to North Wales Police for Operation Pallial, £11.4 million to South Yorkshire Police for Operation Stovewood and £3.3 million to Cleveland Police for Operation Pandect.Information on 2017/18 Special Grant applications has been published and can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/police-funding-special-grant-applications.

Fire and Rescue Services: Standards

Karen Lee: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the fire service response times of each fire authority in England are recorded from the same point after receiving an incident call.

Mr Nick Hurd: Home Office published statistics are recorded from the same point.Each time a fire and rescue service (FRS) attends an incident in England, details of that incident are uploaded to the Home Office’s Incident Recording System (IRS) by the FRS and this is used as the source for all the statistics in the response times publication https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/response-times-to-fires-attended-by-fire-and-rescue-services-england-april-2016-to-march-2017The response time is defined as the duration from time of call to time of arrival of the first vehicle at the scene of the incident and is standard for all FRSs. FRSs set their own targets for local response times which may not include the call time, however this should not affect records in the IRS and hence the statistics published by the Home Office.

Unexplained Wealth Orders

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Unexplained Wealth Orders have been issued since the start of the summer recess; and how many of those orders were issued in relation to wealth derived from Russia.

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of Unexplained Wealth Orders are in relation to wealth derived from Russia.

Mr Ben Wallace: Three UWOs have been applied for, and all granted, since the UWO power came into force in January. The UWOs concern two assets under one investigation in relation to Azerbaijan.The two assets are a golf club in Ascot and residential property in Knightsbridge. The combined purchase price of the assets was £22 million. Interim freezing orders have also been obtained against the properties, so they cannot be sold. The Home Office continues to work with law enforcement agencies to develop the use of UWOs.

UK Visas and Immigration: Stoke on Trent

Gareth Snell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons the decision was taken to close the immigration reporting centre in Stoke-on-Trent; and if he will publish the business case which led to that decision.

Caroline Nokes: To ensure the needs of our reporting population are managed effectively it is critical that Immigration Enforcement has it resource in the right places. As a result, a small number of staff moves and closures of police reporting locations have taken place to ensure we effectively serve the reporting cohort.

UK Visas and Immigration

Gareth Snell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many immigration reporting centres have been (a) closed and (b) relocated since May 2015.

Caroline Nokes: Home Office reporting centres have not been closed. We have rationalised some of our police reporting locations in England and Wales to some of our Home Office reporting centres or larger regional police stations to effectively manage the reporting population.

UK Visas and Immigration

Gareth Snell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people subject to reporting requirements are not disadvantaged financially if the nearest immigration reporting centre is closed.

Caroline Nokes: Those who are eligible for help with travel costs will have a fixed amount added to their support account in order to purchase tickets to enable them to travel to their new reporting location. The facility for those not automatically entitled to travel expenses, but who are required to report and are destitute, to apply for expenses under ‘exceptional needs’ will remain.

UK Visas and Immigration: Stoke on Trent

Gareth Snell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the effect on asylum seekers in Stoke-on-Trent of the closure of the immigration reporting centre in that city.

Caroline Nokes: Asylum seekers aren’t required to report until they have had a negative decision on their case. The new location is considered to be within a reasonable travelling time. To minimise the impact on those that are required to travel for longer periods we are reducing some individuals reporting frequencies to minimise disruption.

Immigration Controls: Skilled Workers

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the timetable is for the publication of the review of the use of paragraph 322(5) of the Immigration Rules to refuse applications for leave to remain from highly skilled migrants.

Caroline Nokes: Officials have concluded the review and are now in the final stages of drafting the final report, which will be submitted shortly.

Prostitution

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to his Department's competitive tender process for a research project on the impact of sex work in the UK, whether (a) an assessment was made of the campaigning activities of those academic institutes that bid and (b) criteria were applied in that process to ensure academic independence.

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department made an assessment of the evidence on the Nordic model which the Centre for Gender and Violence Research at Bristol University submitted to the 2016 Home Affairs Select Committee inquiry into prostitution before awarding that university a contract to carry out research into the impact of sex work in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to ensure the objectivity of the research commissioned by his Department into the impact of sex work in the UK.

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has in place to review the final report of his Department's research project into the impact of sex work in the UK.

Victoria Atkins: The Home Office has provided £150,000 to fund research specifically into the nature and prevalence of prostitution in England and Wales. The research was awarded via fair and open competition. As part of the tendering process, each applicant was asked how they would conduct this work in an impartial manner.Each of the bidders that applied to carry out this work had previous experience of researching issues related to prostitution and sex work, and set out relevant experience in their application. This was reviewed by the Department before the award was made.The University of Bristol were awarded the contract and are currently undertaking the work.As part of the research, the University of Bristol research team are running a survey to seek input from those with a range of views and experiences. Officials and Ministers are regularly monitoring the progress of the research, and it will be reviewed prior to publication in spring 2019.

Immigration: Norway

Ben Lake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment he has made of the potential effect on Norwegian citizens living in the UK of the UK leaving the EU.

Ben Lake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with his Norwegian counterpart on the status of Norwegian citizens living in the UK after the UK leaves the EU.

Caroline Nokes: As I confirmed in my oral statement to the House on 21 June, we intend that the EU Settlement Scheme will be open to citizens of the other European Economic Area states (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) and Switzerland, and their family members, on a similar basis as for EU citizens. This will enable Norwegian citizens to easily secure and, in due course, demonstrate their status in the UK.We have been working closely with EEA Member States to ensure that their citizens in the UK benefit from the same arrangements as EU citizens under the draft Withdrawal Agreement published in March, and we expect this offer to be extended on a reciprocal basis to nationals of Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.

Motor Vehicles: Theft

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the cost of recovery and storage of stolen vehicles to (a) the Metropolitan and (b) Lewisham police forces.

Mr Nick Hurd: Data on the cost of recovery and storage of stolen vehicles is not routinely collected by the Home Office. It is for individual police forces to organise this activity as efficiently as possible, whether by contracting out or using their own staff.

Home Office: Telephone Services

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of employers who have called his Department's employer enquiry helpline in each of the last three years.

Caroline Nokes: The Employer Enquiry Helpline was introduced on 1st June 2017. The most recent available figures have therefore been provided in the table below: Employer Enquiry Line 0300 123 54341st June 2017-31st December 20171st January 2018 – 8th October 2018Total28,81331,67360,486The figures provided are total actual call volumes received on the Employer Enquiry helpline. We do not collect specific data regarding our calling customers and are therefore unable to confirm which of these calls were made by employers.These statistics are taken from Management Information and are therefore subject to change.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he plans to revise the requirements of routes to post-study work for international students.

Caroline Nokes: The Migration Advisory Committee recently published its report on the impact of international students in the UK. The report makes several recommendations regarding the current post-study work offer. The Government is carefully considering the recommendations and will be setting out its full response in due course.

Animal Experiments: Primates

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he plans to phase out the use of primates in animal research.

Mr Ben Wallace: The Home Office has no plans to phase out the use of primates in animal research.

Animal Experiments: Primates

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many primates have been used in animal research in each of the last three years.

Mr Ben Wallace: The Home Office publishes Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, Great Britain which are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-of-scientific-procedures-on-living-animals.

Animal Experiments: Primates

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many breaches of the regulations controlling the use of primates in research have been identified in each of the last three years.

Mr Ben Wallace: The Home Office publishes all cases of non-compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act on an annual basis. The reports are available in the Home Office Regulator’s Annual Report athttps://www.gov.uk/government/collections/animals-in-science-regulation-unit-annual-reports.

Immigration: Biometrics

Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department plans to advise individuals with indefinite leave to remain to apply for a biometric residence permit.

Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average length of time is for  processing biometric residence permits for people (a) applying with existing indefinite leave to remain and (b) making new claims in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Caroline Nokes: Non-EEA nationals with indefinite leave to remain already have the facility to enrol for a biometric residence permit to show they have no time limit on their stay in the UK. Details on how to apply are available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-to-transfer-indefinite-leave-to-remain-in-uk-form-ntlWe do not publish the specific data requested, but as per the In-Country migration statistics published in August 2018, 99.5% of settlement applications were decided within the six-month service standard. This figure includes applications made by those who already hold indefinite leave to remain and those who have never previously held a biometric residence permit. The data can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/in-country-migration-data-august-2018

Visas

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what comparative assessment he has made of the the average waiting time for visa applicants in (a) the last six months and (b) 2010.

Caroline Nokes: Information for the latest quarter available is published online.Data on entry clearance visa processing times, including the percentage and number of visas that are processed within service standards, is published at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/international-operations-transparency-data-august-2018

Organised Crime: Drugs

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent meetings (a) he, (b) other Ministers and (c) staff of his Department have had with (i) the British Transport Police, (ii) taxi firms and (iii) private hire vehicle (minicab) firms on tackling the county lines drug trade.

Victoria Atkins: We recognise the value and opportunity presented by those working in the transport sector to identify perpetrators and potential victims of county lines who are being exploited to move drugs. The Home Office has therefore been working with Crimestoppers to deliver an awareness raising campaign with these sectors about county lines.The Home Office has met with representatives of the British Transport Police, local authority taxi licensing managers, Licensed Private Hire Car Association and Über and officials continue to engage with the transport sector in tackling county lines.

Offences against Children: Internet

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the budget allocated to the National Crime Agency GCHQ specialist unit for investigating child sexual abuse online in each year since 2014.

Victoria Atkins: It has been the longstanding policy of successive Governments not to reveal specific details of the budgets or spending of the intelligence agencies. However, in September, the Home Secretary announced an extra £21.5m investment in law enforcement over the next 18 months to reduce the volume of offending and pursue the most hardened and dangerous abusers. The majority of this funding will go to UK law enforcement and intelligence agencies to tackle the most determined and dedicated abusers and includes further funding for a Joint Operations Team (JOT).The Joint Operations Team is a jointly managed National Crime Agency (NCA) and GCHQ capability, drawing on the experience and knowledge of the NCA and the high-end capabilities and tradecraft of GCHQ to investigate and disrupt online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.Working collaboratively provides a very powerful operating model. The JOT has supported the NCA in bringing offenders such as Dr Matthew Falder - the university lecturer who committed 137 offences – to justice. He was sentenced to 32 years imprisonment following their investigation.

Offences against Children: Internet

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) arrests, (b) prosecutions and (c) convictions for child sexual abuse offences perpetrated on the dark web in each year since 2014.

Victoria Atkins: The Home Office does not hold centrally the information requested.The Home Office collects and publishes data on the number of arrests for notifiable offences on a financial year basis. The Home Office collects and publishes these data at the offence group level, for example, ‘Sexual offences’ or ‘Miscellaneous crimes against society’. More detailed information on the specific offence for which an individual is arrested, or the location where the offence was committed, is not collected.Data on the number of arrests are published in the ‘Police Powers and Procedures, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-powers-and-procedures-england-and-walesCoordinated activity by the NCA and UK policing against online child sexual abuse and exploitation resulted in 4638 arrests made in 2017; and 4374 arrests in 2016. Data is not available for preceding years, and is not broken down between offending on the dark web and open web.Information on prosecutions and convictions is the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice.

British Nationality: EU Nationals

Ben Lake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many EU-born citizens have undertaken British citizenship ceremonies in Ceredigion since June 2016.

Ben Lake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many EU-born citizens currently residing in Ceredigion have undertaken their British Citizenship ceremony in a location outside of Ceredigion since June 2016.

Caroline Nokes: The available published information on the number of citizenship ceremonies attended in Ceredigion are published in Home Office’s Immigration Statistics, year ending June 2018, Citizenship table cz_08 (People attending British citizenship ceremonies by region and local authority) and available from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-year-ending-june-2018/list-of-tables#citizenshipCeremonies attended in other local authorities by people resident in Ceredigion could only be identified at disproportionate cost.

Fraud

Nick Thomas-Symonds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data the Government collects on the (a) number and (b) nature of unsolved crimes of fraud that have been reported to the National Fraud and Cyber Crime Reporting Centre.

Mr Ben Wallace: The Home Office collects data from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, based at the City of London Police, on the number of recorded fraud offences reported to the National Fraud and Cyber Crime Reporting Centre and on how these crimes have been resolved.The most recently published data showing volumes of fraud recorded and type of resolutions are for the year ending March 2018 which are available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/740625/prc-fraud-open-data-march2018-tables.ods

Fraud

Nick Thomas-Symonds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to improve the rate of crimes reported to the National Fraud and Cyber Crime Reporting Centre that are solved.

Mr Ben Wallace: The Government has invested in a new IT analytics engine for the national fraud and cyber crime reporting centre (formerly Action Fraud) and the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB). The victim reporting process has been greatly improved through the implementation of a streamlined, more intuitive online portal for crime reporting.The analytics engine within the NFIB has been significantly upgraded. This will lead to more reports being automatically scored, with more, higher quality disseminations to forces, and better identification of vulnerable victims. The system will also be linked live with forces, so data and intelligence can be shared in real time. We expect to see improvements in the quality and number of disseminations to forces and the ability of forces to investigate and feedback on how they have progressed investigations.

Immigration

Laura Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for Leave to Remain have been rejected by his Department in the last 12 months.

Caroline Nokes: Information on the number of (in country extensions) leave to remain applications granted and refused is published in the quarterly Immigration Statistics, extensions table ex_01_q athttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-year-ending-june-2018/list-of-tables#extensions

Immigration

Laura Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for Leave to Remain made outside the rules have been granted in the last 12 months.

Caroline Nokes: Information on total grants and refusals of in-country applications for leave to remain is published in the Home Office’s quarterly Immigration Statistics, Extensions tables, the latest edition is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-year-ending-june-2018/list-of-tables#extensionsSee tab ex_01_q. Leave outside the rules and discretionary leave decisions fall under ‘other’ in column B.Applications made outside of the rules can result in grants of leave within the rules and these are recorded in the category under which they are granted.

Immigration

Laura Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of applicants for Leave to Remain that continue to reside in the UK after their application has been refused.

Caroline Nokes: The information requested is not recorded in a form that can be reported. Answering the question would entail the individual examination of cases and would incur disproportionate cost.Information on the UK’s resident population by characteristic is a matter for the Office for National Statistics.The available information on total grants and refusals of leave to remain is published in the quarterly Immigration Statistics, Extensions tables tab ex_01_q, latest available athttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-year-ending-june-2018/list-of-tables#extensions

Asylum: Housing

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department has allocated additional funding to local authorities to support asylum dispersal under the new Asylum Accommodation and Support Services contract.

Caroline Nokes: There are no current plans to directly fund Local Authorities that are dispersal areas. The Providers of accommodation will continue to contribute to Local Authority funds through the payment of council tax, which our providers report was over £10m for the financial year 17/18 .The Ministry for Housing, Local Government and Communities has provided funding to Local Authorities in England, through the Controlling Migration Fund, for the provision of Local Authority Asylum Support Liaison Officers.

Asylum: Housing

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the new Asylum Accommodation contracts and attendant Statement of Requirements and Performance Management regime include mechanisms for levying financial penalties on providers who fail to meet contractual obligations.

Caroline Nokes: The Home Office has a rigorous contract compliance regime in place to ensure that the required performance standards expected of all providers, as defined in the contracts, are met. More specifically:The Provider shall perform the Services to meet or exceed the Performance Standards defined in the Statement of Requirements and the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) defined within the Performance Management Regime.Service Credits associated with Provider performance failures against the KPI targets, shall be applied by the Authority from the Contract Effective Date.Service Credits will be applied in the event of performance failures against KPIs, at a level commensurate with the Provider’s degree of failure against the relevant KPI. The agreed Service Credit Payment (SCP) for each Service Area will be deducted from the Monthly Service Payment which would otherwise be payable to the Provider for the relevant Payment Period.

Immigration

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September to Question 169672 onMigrant Workers: Visas, whether he has plans to publish a White Paper on Immigration before the conclusion of negotiations for the UK to the EU.

Caroline Nokes: We will put in place a new single immigration system that treats EU countries the same as non-EU countries. We will publish a White Paper on the future border and immigration system later in the autumn.

Immigration: EU Nationals

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make it his policy to protect all existing rights of citizens of other EU member states living in the UK in the event of the UK leaving the EU with no deal.

Caroline Nokes: The Prime Minister and the Home Secretary have confirmed that in the event of no deal, all EU citizens resident in the UK by 29 March 2019 will be able to stay, their rights will be protected and they will be able to live their lives broadly as they do now.Further information will be published in due course.

Immigration: EU Nationals

Janet Daby: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that EU citizens living in the UK can continue to do so in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Caroline Nokes: The Prime Minister and the Home Secretary have confirmed that in the event of no deal, all EU citizens resident in the UK by 29 March 2019 will be able to stay, their rights will be protected and they will be able to live their lives broadly as they do now.Further information will be published in due course.

Electronic Surveillance

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to paragraphs 493 and 499 of Big Brother Watch & Others v United Kingdom, if he will bring forward legislative proposals under the Investigatory Powers Act to further protect (a) journalistic data from surveillance and (b) freedom of expression.

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of  Big Brother Watch and Others v United Kingdom (no. 58170/13), what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the selection and search processes involved in bulk surveillance arising from the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 with Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Ben Wallace: The government continues to give careful consideration to the Court’s findings.The Investigatory Powers Act 2016 replaced large parts of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) which was the subject of this challenge. This includes the introduction of a ‘double lock’ which requires warrants for the use of these powers to be authorised by a Secretary of State and approved by a senior judge. An Investigatory Powers Commissioner has also been created to ensure robust independent oversight of how these powers are used.In addition the Government has already laid regulations which will introduce independent authorisation and a serious crime threshold to the communications data regime in accordance with the requirements of European Law.

Peter Pickering

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he plans to share with the victims and their families the results of recent inquiries by West Yorkshire Police into crimes that Peter Pickering may have committed.

Mr Nick Hurd: Police forces are independent of government and Ministers are not able to intervene in police investigations. Such matters are for the Chief Constable concerned to consider.

Electronic Surveillance

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government has plans to introduce legislative proposals to enable the use of artificial intelligence and recognition technology to monitor people in the UK.

Mr Nick Hurd: The Government has no plans to introduce legislation in this area. Like other organisations the police are already subject to data protection and human rights legislation, and their use of image technology is also governed by the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice.

Knives: Crime

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data his Department holds on the time of day that knife incidents have taken place over the last five years in (a) London and (b) the UK.

Mr Nick Hurd: The information requested is not held centrally.While the Home Office collects data on the number of selected offences involving a knife or a sharp instrument recorded by the police in England and Wales it does not contain details on the time of day that these offences took place.The most recently published information for offences involving knives or sharp instruments is for 2017/18 and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-recorded-crime-open-data-tables.

Airlines: Passengers

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will support calls by UK airlines to implement licensing airside at airports to tackle drunk and disruptive passengers.

Victoria Atkins: The Government has publicly committed to issue a Call for Evidence on airside alcohol licensing.The Call for Evidence will allow the Government to assess the true scale of the problem of drunk and disruptive airline passengers, the extent to which existing statutory powers and other measures are used to address the problem as well as the impact the extension of the Licensing Act 2003 to airside premises at international airports in England and Wales could have on reducing alcohol-related disruptive passenger behaviour. The Call for Evidence will be issued shortly.

Animal Experiments: Primates

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 4 September 2017 to Question 7631, what steps the Government has taken to reduce the use of primates in research and regulatory testing for human medicines since September 2017; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Ben Wallace: The Home Office ensures that animals are only used when necessary and under strict controls which keep suffering to a minimum. Any research which we licence must undergo a thorough harm-benefit analysis including ensuring that the planned work implements the 3Rs (replacement, reduction and refinement).

Anti-corruption Ministerial Group

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what dates the anti-corruption inter-ministerial group has held meetings.

Mr Ben Wallace: In this Parliament, the Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) on Anti-Corruption met on 2 July 2018 and is next scheduled to meet on 14 November 2018. The IMG guides the UK’s overall efforts to combat corruption and its corrosive effects, primarily by scrutinising implementation of the December 2017 cross-government UK Anti-Corruption Strategy and driving specific cross-Whitehall policy initiatives.

Human Trafficking

Paul Girvan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers have been tasked with assisting police services in other countries in cases of human trafficking in the last three years.

Victoria Atkins: The Government does not hold this information centrally. However, to support the wider operational response to modern slavery in November 2016, £8.5 million was awarded to national policing, through the Police Transformation Fund. To enhance the police response to modern slavery, this included funding two posts within Europol to support police forces to investigate Modern Slavery internationally.In addition, the National Crime Agency uses its international network to investigate the high-harm Organised Crime Groups involved in modern slavery affecting the UK and to support international partners to build their capability to investigate human trafficking and safeguard victims.

Human Trafficking

Paul Girvan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) age (b) gender and (c) nationality was of each victim of human trafficking rescued by agencies in England and Wales in the last five years.

Victoria Atkins: Statistics on referrals to the NRM are broken down by nationality and gender and are published quarterly on the NCA website. The age of potential victims is limited to whether they are a child or an adult to protect the identity of victims. They can be found via the link below: http://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/national-referral-mechanism-statistics

Driving: Eyesight

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many drivers were routinely stopped by police forces in each of the last five years; and how many of those drivers were asked to take a 20 metre eyesight test.

Mr Nick Hurd: The Home Office does not collect this information.

Immigration Bail

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what changes were made between versions 2.0 and 3.0 to the section on study conditions in his Department’s guide to immigration bail for staff; and for what reasons those changes were made.

Caroline Nokes: An additional three rows were added to the table in the section ‘study condition: quick guide on usage’ in version 3.0 of the immigration bail guidance for staff. The rows contain additional guidance for Border Force staff regarding individuals granted immigration bail at the border.

Visas

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of in-country visa extension applications have been decided (a) within (i) eight, (ii) 12 and (iii) 16 weeks and (b) after 16 weeks in each of the last three years.

Caroline Nokes: The majority (99%) of straightforward cases are processed within service standards, based on the latest migration transparency data at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/in-country-migration-data-august-2018

Passports

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he undertook an impact assessment of his decision not to carry over excess validity from previous passports; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Nokes: If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, passport holders would be considered third country nationals and would need to comply with different rules for travel in the Schengen Travel Area. These rules stipulate that passports over ten years old cannot be used for travel within the Area.Some British passports are valid for more than ten years due to the carryover of validity from a previous passport. The UK was the last country in the world to carryover validity. International guidelines recommend that an adult passport should be valid for a maximum of ten years, and a child passport for a maximum of five years. In light of this, the impact of continuing to carryover validity was considered for all passport holders and was subsequently stopped on 10 September.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Dr Paul Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the paper by Aveek Bhattacharya entitled How dependent is the alcohol industry on heavy drinking in England? published in August 2018, to what extent the alcohol industry is planned to be consulted as a stakeholder for the updated alcohol strategy, following the finding in that paper that alcohol industry revenue in England would decline by 38 per cent in the event that all consumers drank within the Chief Medical Officer's Low Risk Guidelines.

Victoria Atkins: The Government’s new alcohol strategy will set out targeted action to prevent and reduce harmful drinking, support vulnerable people affected by others’ alcohol misuse and improve the pathways into treatment for people with alcohol dependency.As we develop measures to include in the strategy, we are consulting widely across government and with a range of stakeholders including representatives of the alcohol industry, the health sector, academics, the voluntary sector and the licensed trade.

Police: Rural Areas

Mrs Kemi Badenoch: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of allocating policing numbers in rural areas based on geographic size instead of per head of population.

Mr Nick Hurd: Population sparsity was one factor within the existing Police Allocation Formula. We will consider the issue of the police funding formula in the context of the next Spending Review.It is an operational decision for Chief Constables, held to account by their democratically elected Police and Crime Commissioner, to determine the size of the police workforce and how they are deployed in line with local priorities.

Deportation: West Africa

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 9 October 2018 to Question 174681 on Deportation: West Africa, how many of the 60 people who were due to be returned on the charter flight to Nigeria and Ghana on 28 March 2017 have subsequently been deported and on what dates; whether each of the 60 people were informed by his Department (a) between 28 March 2017 and 15 April 2018 of the rights to stay which are conferred to Commonwealth citizens under the 1971 Immigration Act and (b) of the Windrush Taskforce after 16 April 2016; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Nokes: Of the 60 people due to be returned on the charter flight to Nigeria and Ghana on 28 March 2017, 49 have since been removed. The table below shows the dates of removal. In the table below, we have included all types of removal including those who may have been deported. Date of removalNumber removed30 March 20173331 March 201712 April 201714 April 201717 April 2017110 April 2017115 April 2017118 May 2017123 May 2017428 June 2017229 June 2017123 August 2017127 September 20171Prior to any enforced removal, all individuals are notified of their liability for removal. This informs them of the reason why they are liable to removal, the destination for removal, advises the migrant to seek early legal advice and places them under a duty to raise with the Home Office any asylum, human rights or European free movement reasons why they believe they are entitled to stay. It also sets out the options for voluntary departure as well as the consequences of not doing so. All individuals are provided with a minimum of 72 hours in which to access legal advice prior to action being taken to enforce their return.Any individual who believes they are protected under the provisions of the 1971 Immigration Act is able to contact the Windrush Taskforce, who will help to identify their current status. Information on the Windrush Taskforce is readily available on the Home Office website. None of the individuals have contacted the Taskforce.

Police: Finance

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications his Department has received from (a) police forces in England and Wales and (b) Police and Crime Commissioners to help with the cost of policing unexpected and exceptional events in each of the last eight years; and what the (i) value and (ii) purpose was of each (A) successful and (B) unsuccessful application.

Mr Nick Hurd: The requested information may be found at the website links below. The Home Office can only accept applications for Special Grant from Police and Crime Commissioners.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/special-grants-paid-to-the-police-forces-in-england-and-wales-from-2007-to-2014https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/police-funding-special-grant-applications

Refugees: Children

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2017 to Question 6773, when Government plans to meet its commitment to transfer 480 unaccompanied child refugees to the UK.

Caroline Nokes: In line with the legislation, we are fully committed to relocating the specified number of 480 children under Section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 as soon as possible. Over 220 children are already in the UK and transfers are ongoing.We are working very closely with participating States and partners to deliver the scheme in line with their national laws. Relocation of children to the UK is also dependent on the availability of appropriate local authority care placements.

Asylum: Contracts

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to ensure that Local Authorities are consulted on the provisions of the new (a) asylum accommodation and support services and (b) advice, issue reporting and eligibility contracts prior to their finalisation; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Nokes: In developing the structure of the contractual arrangements and the specifications within them the Home Office undertook extensive consultation with local government, devolved governments, non-governmental organisations and the market.Engagement was both at a national and regional level, with the regional level coordinated by Strategic Migration Partnerships using their knowledge of regional stakeholders. Engagement activity used a range of approaches, including roundtable discussions, one-to-one engagement and a written exercise. Stakeholder feedback had considerable influence on the specifications in the contract, where the Home Office has adopted a host of improvements that were proposed by stakeholders.As we approach contract award, expected to be before the end of December 2018, we will increase the engagement activity to ensure that all partners and stakeholders are aware of the new contracts and how they will work and are able to work constructively to make the services work for Service Users and local communities.

Northern Ireland Office

Northern Ireland Policing Board

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when a newly constituted Policing Board with (a) political and (b) independent members is planned to be (i) constituted and (ii) fully functional.

Mr Shailesh Vara: Further to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland’s commitment in her July Statement, she will take forward legislation in the near future which will enable key public appointments to be made in Northern Ireland. This legislation will address the most urgent appointments, including the Northern Ireland Policing Board, to ensure good governance and public confidence is maintained. Following Royal Assent, the necessary appointment process can take place.

Integrated Schools: Northern Ireland

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, for what reason the funding for the five integrated schools that were given approval to proceed to planning in March 2016 by the Northern Ireland Department for Education and HM Treasury as part of the Fresh Start Agreement has not been published; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Shailesh Vara: In March 2016, the then Secretary of State announced an immediate cash boost of £43m to fund the construction of a range of shared education campuses and integrated school projects. That announcement also included the provision of support to advance in planning 17 additional Shared Education, primary and post primary integrated education projects. It was made clear at the time of this announcement that funding for the construction of these and other projects would be awarded in line with existing processes and following the necessary approvals. A second tranche of Fresh Start Agreement funding that would advance a number of these projects to construction is currently under consideration and I hope the Secretary of State will be in a position to make a further announcement that will provide additional information on our funding commitment in due course.

Integrated Schools: Northern Ireland

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps she is taking to expand integrated education in Northern Ireland in order to meet parental demand for places in that sector.

Mr Shailesh Vara: The UK Government has committed through the Fresh Start and Stormont House Agreements to provide a contribution of up to £500m over 10 years of new capital funding to support shared and integrated education subject to individual projects being agreed with the UK Government. Following the initial announcement in March 2016 of funding to advance in construction and planning a range of projects, the UK government is considering, at the request of the Department of Education, the release of a second tranche of funding to further support the expansion of shared and integrated education. I hope the Secretary of State will make an announcement on the outcome of this funding request in due course.

Treasury

Treasury: Brexit

Tom Brake: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Written Statement of 13 March 2018 on Spring Statement, HCWS540, how much of that funding he has allocated to (a) programmes, (b) administration and (c) staffing in his Department.

Robert Jenrick: HM Treasury has allocated over £2 billion of additional funding to departments and the Devolved Administrations for EU exit preparations so far. This breaks down as: £412m of additional funding over the spending review period for the Department for Exiting the European Union, Department for International Trade and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office at Autumn Statement 2016. £286m of additional funding for 17/18 (a full breakdown of which can be found in Supplementary Estimates 17/18).https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/679738/PU2137_Supplementary_estimates_web.pdf.  Over £1.5bn of additional funding for 18/19. A full breakdown of which can be found in the Chief Secretary’s Written Ministerial Statement, HCWS540, laid on the 13th March (https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-03-13/HCWS540/) HM Treasury was allocated £24.8m for costs arising as the UK leave the EU in the Spring Statement 2018. The final breakdown between programme and administration spend will be confirmed in the Supplementary Estimates. Staffing forms part of administration spend, and it is currently estimated that most of the department’s additional funding related to work on leaving the EU for 18/19 will be spent on staffing.

Public Houses: Closures

Ian Austin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps his Department is taking to prevent pub closures.

Robert Jenrick: The government remains committed to supporting pubs and we have taken action to this end – including cuts to business rates worth over £10 billion by 2023 and a £1,000 business rates discounts for small and medium pubs. Furthermore, at Autumn Budget 2017 the government announced a freeze to all alcohol duties. Cuts to alcohol taxes since 2013 mean the average tax on a pint of beer is estimated to be 12p lower than it otherwise would have been, showing the government’s continued support for the country’s local pubs.

Freezing of Assets: Russia

John McDonnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assets have been frozen under the Andrey Lugovoy and Dmitri Kovtun Freezing Orders 2016 and 2018.

John Glen: The Treasury imposed an asset freeze on Lugovoy and Kovtun on 22 January 2016 by making a freezing order under the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. The duration of such an order is two years. On 22 January 2018 a new order was made under the Act. In the ‘Andrey Lugovoy and Dmitri Kovtun Freezing Order 2018’ Debate before the House of Lords on 20 February 2018, Lord Young of Cookham made clear to the House that during the two-year period of the first order, HM Treasury had received no information in respect of the designations in place against Lugovoy and Kovtun.

EU Budget

John McDonnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions the Government has had with (a) the EU Council presidency and (b) EU member states on the scope of obligations on trust in relation to financial transparency.

John Glen: The Government engaged with both the European Commission and EU Member States (including those holding the rotating Presidency of the EU Council) on expanding national registers of trust beneficial ownership as part of the negotiations of the Fifth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (5AMLD). 5AMLD requires an expansion of the scope of such registers from ‘trusts with a tax consequence’ to all express trusts and non-EU trusts which acquire real estate or have a business relationship within the EU. Access to this register will also be extended to firms regulated for anti-money laundering purposes, and those with a legitimate interest in the information. 5AMLD has a transposition deadline during January 2020. This falls within the implementation period, and so the UK will transpose this Directive. The Government will consult on the transposition of the Directive in due course.

Sergei Skripal and Yulia Skripal

John McDonnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government has frozen the assets of the suspects in the Skripal incident under section 4 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001.

John Glen: To date, no order has been made under section 4 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 for any person suspected of involvement in the events in Salisbury.

Sanctions: Russia

John McDonnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will place a list of all economic sanctions on Russia in the Library.

John Glen: There are three financial sanctions regimes pertaining to Russia currently implemented in the UK. Information on these is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/financial-sanctions-ukraine https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/financial-sanctions-ukraine-sovereignty-and-territorial-integrity https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/financial-sanctions-ukraine-sovereignty-and-territorial-integrity All Russian persons and entities subject to financial sanctions and those separately subject to specific sectoral sanctions are published on gov.uk here:http://hmt-sanctions.s3.amazonaws.com/sanctionsconlist.htmhttps://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/354155/ukrainesecuritieslist.pdf

Money Laundering

John McDonnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the register of People with significant control to tackle money laundering.

John Glen: The Government has a statutory obligation to review the operation of the People with Significant Control register in 2019. This review will consider statistics on the operation of the register and evidence from the main users (law enforcement, obliged entities and civil society) and from the companies that supply the information.

Social Services: Minimum Wage

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many social care employers have been subject to any form of action by HMRC for failing to keep sufficient minimum wage records in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Mel Stride: The government is determined to ensure that everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum and Living Wage (NMW) receives it. Anyone who feels they have been unpaid NMW should contact Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100 or via the online complaints form at gov.uk. HMRC reviews all complaints that are referred to them. As referenced in the answer to your question 169367, most NMW cases are subject to civil (non-criminal) sanctions, the consequences of which includes fines of up to 200% of the determined underpayment, and public naming. HMRC NMW investigations take into account all non-compliance risks - of which lack of adequate records might be one - and a case is closed by a Notice of Underpayment (NOUs) which covers multiple risks. We do not hold data in a format that distinguishes record keeping from other risks identified.

Welfare State: Reform

Marsha De Cordova: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Government’s response to recommendation 59(b) in its follow up report to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’ Concluding Observations, what supporting evidence the Government has that a cumulative impact assessment of its welfare reforms cannot be reliably modelled.

Elizabeth Truss: The government carefully considers the impact of its decisions on those sharing protected characteristics, in line with both its legal obligations and with its strong commitment to promoting fairness. The government supports people with disabilities through both the welfare system and through public services. We spend over £50bn on benefits to support disabled people and people with health conditions which accounts for over 6% of Government spending. Spending on disability benefits will be higher every year to 2022 than in 2010. Since 2010, the Treasury has regularly published cumulative analysis of the impacts of tax, welfare and public spending policies on households according to their income. However, this analysis has not been produced specifically for those with disabilities as the full impacts on these households of all public spending such as on health, transport and other non-financial support cannot be reliably modelled with the data which is currently available.

Whisky: Exports

Douglas Ross: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the value of Scotch whisky to UK exports in the last five years.

Robert Jenrick: HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the collection and publication of data on UK imports and exports of goods to and from the UK. HMRC releases this information monthly, as a National Statistic called the Overseas Trade in Goods Statistics.Data on exports of Scotch Whisky into the UK in each of the last five years are available in the ‘Build Your Own Tables’ area of HMRC’s statistical website uktradeinfo.com

Overseas Trade: Customs

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the White Paper entitled The future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union, published in July 2018, how the facilitated customs arrangement set out in that White Paper will operate for UK exports which are sent via Rotterdam to non-EU destinations around the world.

Mel Stride: The Facilitated Customs Arrangement (FCA) would remove the need for customs processes between the UK and the EU. The UK also proposes a range of unilateral and bilateral facilitations to reduce frictions for UK trade with the rest of the world. The details of the arrangement will be subject to negotiation with the EU.

Child Care Vouchers

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect on the household finances of families with young children of closing the childcare voucher scheme to new entrants from 4 October 2018; and if he will make a statement.

Elizabeth Truss: This Government is committed to supporting families and we will be spending around £6 billion every year by 2020 in childcare support – more than ever before. Tax-free Childcare, unlike vouchers, helps parents with higher childcare costs more, which is usually those with younger children. Therefore the transition is likely to have a positive effect on parents with younger children. This is because Tax-Free Childcare is paid per child rather than per parent and provides up to £2,000 in government support per child. Childcare vouchers closed to new applicants only in October 2018. There is no impact on parents already using childcare vouchers, who will be able to continue using vouchers as long as they work for the same employer and their employer continues to offer them.

Bank Services

Luke Graham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to review the Access to Banking Standard.

John Glen: The Government recognises that branch closures can be difficult for the customers affected and urges the banks to consider these concerns when making decisions on their branch network. That is why Government supports the Access to Banking Standard, and makes clear to the banks and building societies who have signed up that they should participate genuinely and with the spirit of the agreement, not just the letter, in mind. The Government supports the Lending Standard’s Board’s monitoring and enforcing of the Standard, and welcomed their recent report on firms’ compliance with its requirements. The Government considers the current scheme of oversight to be working effectively at present. The Government will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the Access to Banking Standard, and Lending Standards Board oversight of it, to ensure that it continues to strike the right balance between providing commercial flexibility and consumer protection.

Retail Trade

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department plans to take steps to prevent rental purchase retailers from charging in excess of twice the value of the goods sold over the contract period; and if he will make a statement.

John Glen: The Government has fundamentally reformed regulation of the consumer credit market, including high-cost credit, transferring regulatory responsibility from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on 1 April 2014. This more robust regulatory system is helping to deliver the Government’s vision for a well-functioning and sustainable consumer credit market which is able to meet the needs of all consumers. The Government welcomed the FCA’s update on it’s high-cost credit review in May. The FCA has identified a need to intervene to protect vulnerable consumers in the rent-to-own market, and is considering a cap on the cost of rent-to-own. The government will continue to work with the FCA to ensure that all high-cost credit customers are treated fairly.

Gaming Machines

Carolyn Harris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the effect on (a) the public purse and (b) bookmakers of implementing the reduced maximum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals to two pounds in (i) April 2019, (ii) April 2020 and (iii) at any other times; and if he will publish any such assessments.

Robert Jenrick: Estimates of the effect on gambling duties approved by the Office for Budget Responsibility are not available. DCMS have met with industry to understand the technological requirements along with the potential impact on employment.

Gambling: Taxation

Carolyn Harris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the revenue that would accrue to the public purse from Remote Gaming Duty being set at (a) 18 (b) 19 and (c) 20 per cent.

Robert Jenrick: Estimates approved by the Office for Budget Responsibility are not available.

Help to Buy Scheme: Oxfordshire

Layla Moran: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential mertis of increasing the threshold for the Help to Buy ISA for first-time buyers in Oxfordshire to the London higher price limit of £450,000.

John Glen: The Government is committed to making the aspiration of home ownership a reality for as many households as possible. That’s why we introduced the Help to Buy schemes, which have helped more than 420,000 people get onto the housing ladder. The Help to Buy: ISA scheme aims to help those that are struggling to save enough to get onto the housing ladder. The house price cap of £250,000 (£450,000 in London) allows us to achieve this by targeting support at those who need it most. There are no plans to increase the threshold specifically for first time buyers in Oxfordshire. The average value of a property completion under the scheme has been £172,448, well below the average UK house price of £224,144 and the £250,000 cap.

UK Trade with EU

Sir Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what advice his Department is providing to importers on how to make customs declarations on goods arriving from EU member states after 29 March 2018 in the event that such declarations are required.

Mel Stride: On 23 August, HMRC published Technical Notices on Customs, Excise and VAT procedures that would apply under no deal arrangements and the implications for businesses. HMRC has also written to 145,000 traders over the VAT threshold who currently only trade with the EU to explain the changes and to encourage them to look at the existing rest of world guidance on GOV.UK. We have also published our letter to EU only traders on GOV.UK.We know that there would be some additional smaller businesses impacted who are not currently registered for VAT. We have engaged with trade and business representative bodies who have greater knowledge and access to these businesses. We plan to communicate through these groups, so that these smaller businesses are told about any implications. We will shortly publish a partnership pack that these representative bodies can use in their own communications.To support the customs intermediaries sector to expand ahead of March 2019 HM Treasury and HMRC have also designed a package of measures which includes a one-off investment of £8 million to support broker training and increased automation.HMRC’s communications plans have a phased approach and later in the year they will provide more information on what people can do should they wish to make preparations.

Cycling: South East

Layla Moran: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the National Infrastructure Commission's report entitled Running Out of Road: Investing in cycling in Cambridge, Milton Keynes and Oxford, published in July 2018, if he will allocate funding in the 2018 Budget to implement the recommendations in that report.

Robert Jenrick: I am unable to share Budget funding decisions in advance. The government has already announced transport projects in the Oxford to Cambridge Arc totaling over £4bn. I note that many of the recommendations in the report are for local councils to take forward with integrated transport strategies.

Energy Intensive Industries: Climate Change Levy

Clive Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what distributional analysis his Department has carried out on the exemption for mineralogical and metallurgical processes from the Climate Change Levy.

Robert Jenrick: Exemptions from Climate Charge Levy were designed in consultation with energy suppliers and businesses in a way that seeks to minimise business burdens. They are applied by energy suppliers at the point of supply so HMRC does not therefore have the data to carry out any distributional analysis on the exemption for mineralogical and metallurgical processes.

Non-domestic Rates: Appeals

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to improve the time it takes the Valuation Office Agency to process appeals against business rate decisions.

Mel Stride: The Government introduced the new business rate appeal system Check, Challenge, Appeal (CCA) in April 2017. Under the old system, many appeals were submitted with little or no evidence, causing delay, and the lack of evidence meant the VOA couldn’t separate genuine appeals from speculative ones.Under CCA, ratepayers can check the facts held about their property and view their valuation before deciding whether to challenge it. If they go on to challenge they must provide the full evidence for their challenge, giving the VOA the opportunity to address and resolve the issues. This minimises uncertainty, ensuring businesses reach a resolution quicker, without the automatic need for an appeal to the independent Valuation Tribunal.Official VOA statistics released on 16 August 2018 show that as of 30 June 2018, most checks are being resolved within three months and most challenges within six months.

Non-domestic Rates: Small Businesses

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to take account of (a) housing costs and (b) all other elements of the local cost of living in the calculation of small business rates relief.

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the validity of the recommendation by the Federation of Small Businesses that the rates relief rule which penalises a small business taking on additional premises be abolished and replaced with a personal threshold which is applied to multiple properties owned by one business; and if he will make a statement.

Mel Stride: Business rates are charged on most non-domestic properties, and small business rate relief applies uniformly across England where a business property’s rateable value is less that £15,000. Where a business occupies more than one property, the total value of all their property must be below £28,000 in London, or £20,000 in the rest of England, to be eligible for small business rate relief. The Government is committed to considering the feasibility of replacing small business rate relief with a business rates allowance for small businesses once local authority and HMRC systems are linked in line with our planned digitalisation of business rates.

Disability

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference the Equality and Human Rights Commission's report, Disability Report: Being disabled in Britain, published in April 2017, if he will make an assessment of the effect on disabled people of the Government's fiscal policies since 2010.

Elizabeth Truss: The government carefully considers the impact of its decisions on those sharing protected characteristics, in line with both its legal obligations and with its strong commitment to promoting fairness. The government supports people with disabilities through both the welfare system and through public services. We spend over £50bn on benefits to support disabled people and people with health conditions which accounts for over 6% of Government spending. Spending on disability benefits will be higher every year to 2022 than in 2010. Since 2010, the Treasury has regularly published cumulative analysis of the impacts of tax, welfare and public spending policies on households according to their income. However, this analysis has not been produced specifically for those with disabilities as the full impacts on these households of all public spending such as on health, transport and other non-financial support cannot be reliably modelled with the data which is currently available.

Motor Vehicles: Disability

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has plans to retain the provisions of VAT form VAT1615A, for VAT relief on specially adapted motor vehicles, after the UK leaves the EU.

Mel Stride: Going forward, it will be for the UK Government to decide what VAT rules we have, subject to the outcome of negotiations with the EU.

Air Pollution

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress he has made on implementing the findings of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Environmental Audit; Health and Social Care; and Transport Committees joint report, Improving air quality, published on 15 March 2018, HC 433, in relation to aligning HM Treasury policies with clean air objectives.

Robert Jenrick: As set out in the government’s response to the Improving Air Quality report, HM Treasury sees tax and spending policy as playing an important role in tackling climate change and reducing air pollution. For spending measures, HM Treasury scrutinises departments’ application of the Green Book’s guidance, including air quality impacts, on an ongoing basis.With regard to incorporating air quality pollutants into vehicle taxation, laboratory tests cannot currently measure NOx to a level of accuracy comparable with real-world driving emissions. Therefore, the VED system is based on CO2 only, as this allows for a banded system to be implemented. At Autumn Budget 2017, the government announced a temporary levy on new diesel cars to encourage manufacturers to bring forward the next generation clean diesels.

Bank Services

Alex Chalk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to bring forward proposals for the mandatory provision of basic bank accounts for all individuals; and if he will make a statement.

John Glen: Under the Payment Accounts Regulations 2015, the nine largest personal current account providers in the UK must offer a basic bank account to customers who are either unbanked in the UK or who are not eligible for any other current account the bank offers. The nine designated institutions are: Barclays, Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank, Co-operative Bank, HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group (including Halifax and Bank of Scotland brands), Nationwide, Royal Bank of Scotland (including NatWest and Ulster Bank brands), Santander, TSB.

Mutual Societies: Australia

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has had discussions with his Australian counterpart on the Australian Government's proposed Treasury Laws Amendment (Mutual Entities) Bill; and if he will make a statement.

John Glen: HM Treasury has had no discussions with the Australian Government on the proposed Treasury Laws Amendment (Mutual Entities) Bill. The Government remains committed to supporting co-operatives, credit unions, building societies and other mutual legal forms as part of a diverse and resilient economy which offers choice to consumers.

Brexit

Paul Blomfield: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will place in the Library a copy of the modelling that the Government is using to assess the potential disruption at the UK border in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

Mel Stride: The Government is undertaking a wide range of ongoing analysis in support of our EU exit negotiations and preparations. This analysis helps define our future partnership with the EU, and informs our understanding of how EU exit will affect the UK’s domestic policies and frameworks.Ministers have a responsibility, which Parliament has endorsed, not to release information relevant to ongoing negotiations.

Company Cars: Taxation

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect on consumers of the increase in company car tax since 2013.

Robert Jenrick: Where an employer provides a company car to their employee and that car is available for private travel, the company car tax applies. This reflects the taxable benefit provided to an employee as part of their remuneration package. Consumers may choose zero and ultra low emission models which attract a significantly reduced tax liability compared to conventionally fuelled alternatives.

Social Security Benefits: Children

Jim Shannon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the HMRC statistical release of 28 June 2018 on the Government's policy to provide support to a maximum of two children, what the ethnicity is of the 70,620 households not in receipt of an exception to that policy.

Elizabeth Truss: The information is only available at disproportionate cost.

Lost Working Days: Weather

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to (a) businesses in Coventry and (b) the UK economy of work absences as a result of the summer 2018 heatwave.

John Glen: No such estimate has been made. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the UK economy grew by 0.4% in Q2 2018, and 0.7% in the three months to August. This was the highest three-month GDP growth rate since February 2017.

Company Cars: Taxation

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if the Government will provide five years' visibility on company car tax rates after 2020-21 in the forthcoming Autumn Budget.

Robert Jenrick: To provide certainty of the future tax liability for company car employers and employees, the government aims to announce the company car tax rates three years in advance of implementation.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Sports Competitors: Training

Tom Pursglove: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Government has made an assessment of the relative merits of the possible training facilities for Team GB urban sports athletes ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics; and if he will make a statement.

Tracey Crouch: The National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of Olympic sports are responsible for the training of their athletes during the period leading up to the Olympic Games, and with it the facilities they choose. UK Sport is working closely with NGBs to determine the appropriate level of facilities needed to sustain Olympic success ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games, which are set to run from 24 July to 9 August 2020. The British Olympic Association (BOA), as the National Olympic Committee (NOC) for Great Britain and Northern Ireland, is responsible for Team GB’s participation at the Olympic Games.  UK Sport’s high-performance system and investment approach is admired the world over, and Great Britain is now recognised as one of the world’s most successful sporting nations. Decisions over which sports to fund in each Olympic and Paralympic cycle are made independently of Government by UK Sport. This helps ensure that funding decisions are made free from political influence with a view to the best overall outcomes for our elite athletes.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Brexit

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Written Statement of 13 March 2018 on Spring Statement, HCWS540, how much of that funding he has allocated to (a) programmes, (b) administration and (c) staffing in his Department.

Margot James: HM Treasury has allocated over £2 billion of additional funding to departments and the Devolved Administrations for EU exit preparations so far. This breaks down as: £412m of additional funding over the spending review period for the Department for Exiting the European Union, Department for International Trade and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office at Autumn Statement 2016. £286m of additional funding for 17/18 (a full breakdown of which can be found in Supplementary Estimates 17/18). https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/679738/PU2137_Supplementary_estimates_web.pdf. Over £1.5bn of additional funding for 18/19. A full breakdown of which can be found in the Chief Secretary’s Written Ministerial Statement, HCWS540, laid on the 13th March (https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-03-13/HCWS540/) DCMS was allocated £26.2m for costs arising as the UK leave the EU in the Spring Statement 2018. The final breakdown between programme and administration spend, and the split of staffing costs, will be confirmed in the Supplementary Estimates.

Infrastructure: Cybercrime

Jo Platt: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many businesses and organisations have been designated as operators of essential services.

Margot James: Under the Regulations made earlier this year to implement the Security of Networks and Information Systems Directive (016/1148) and improve the security and resilience of the UK to Cyber Threats, Competent Authorities in the UK are required to identify the operators of essential services with an establishment on UK territory by 9 November 2018. This process is currently ongoing but as of June 2018 Competent Authorities had identified 513 operators of essential services in the UK, with further operators to be identified by 9 November.

Publications: Exports

Nick Thomas-Symonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to support the British comic book industry in overseas markets.

Margot James: As part of the Creative Industries Sector Deal, the government has established an industry-led Trade and Investment Board, comprising members from across the creative industries - including the publishing sector which covers the british comic book industry - which will oversee development and delivery of an export strategy with ambitious targets. The Board’s trade activities have been supported by at least £4 million this financial year.

Whisky: Scotland

Douglas Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the contribution of Scotch whisky to tourism.

Michael Ellis: The Scottish Whisky industry is recognised the world over for its high quality. VisitBritain(VB) work to promote the UK as a tourist destination, and have used Scotch whiskey to promote Scotland in particular. VB regularly host educational trips which include distilleries across Scotland, host several distilleries at their flagship promotional event ExploreGB and offer Whiskey tours through the VB online shop. In addition to this, VB work in partnership with Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs and the Department for International Trade to create food and drink hubs across the UK which encourage visitors to try our produce and commission research into food and drink as a draw for tourists.

Internet: Rural Areas

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government is taking to maximise internet service provider options for people in rural areas.

Margot James: We are currently investing £1.7 billion of public money in superfast broadband coverage across the UK. We reached the target of 95% coverage of the UK by the end of 2017 and are continuing to roll out with another 2% coverage expected. As part of funding requirements, network providers receiving funding under the BDUK Superfast programme are required to provide wholesale access, which creates competition in the retail market and seeks to maximise the number of internet service provider options for consumers. To ensure no-one is left behind, the Better Broadband Scheme ensures all UK premises have access to an affordable broadband service from a range of ISPs delivering at least 2Mbps. From 2020 we are also introducing a broadband Universal Service Obligation so everyone across the UK will have a clear, enforceable right to request high-speed broadband of minimum 10Mbps up to a reasonable cost threshold.

Mobile Phones

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that mobile phone provider coverage checkers are accurate.

Margot James: Ofcom has power under the Communications Act 2003 to require coverage data from Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and publishes this data online. Ofcom’s statutory powers to require the provision of information are fundamental to its ability to carry out its regulatory functions, and the information provided by operators must therefore be timely, complete and accurate. Each MNO also publishes data online with regard to its own coverage, and this data is subject to the ASA CAP Code. Ofcom recently announced that they will open an investigation into errors found in data provided by EE and Vodafone, and whether these would constitute a breach of the operators’ obligations. This investigation is ongoing. The Government is clear that it is essential that the data provided to consumers, whether on MNO websites or through Ofcom, must be the best available, and able to be used with confidence.

Broadband

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will take steps against broadband infrastructure companies who exclude specific houses as they deem their driveways to be too long when installing fibre broadband in an area.

Margot James: The Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review, published in July, set out the Government’s ambitions to provide world-class digital connectivity that is gigabit-capable, reliable, long-lasting and widely available across the UK. The Review set out the regulatory and policy environment to facilitate this, alongside the measures that my Department’s Barrier Busting Task Force is taking to reduce the cost of deployment of digital infrastructure. The Government hopes such measures will enable operators to deploy infrastructure as far as possible, including to harder to reach or more expensive areas.

Gaming Machines

Carolyn Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when the secondary legislation to reduce the maximum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals to two pounds will be laid before Parliament.

Carolyn Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when he plans to implement the reduced maximum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals to two pounds.

Tracey Crouch: The draft Statutory Instrument needed to reduce the maximum stake on sub-category B2 machines to £2 was notified to the European Commission in September, under the requirements of the EU Technical Standards and Regulations Directive. We intend to lay the draft affirmative regulations before Parliament, for the usual process of approval, in the Autumn term. A date for implementation of the change will be announced in due course.

Gaming Machines: Taxation

Carolyn Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he has made an assessment of the effect on the number of (a) people employed by and (b) jobs created in the gambling industry of implementing the reduced maximum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals to two pounds.

Tracey Crouch: The Government received over 7,000 responses to the Consultation on proposals for changes to Gaming Machines and social responsibility measures, and, as part of the evidence received, considered representations from the Association of British Bookmakers, individual operators and others that discussed the potential impact on employment in Licensed Betting Offices. Since publication of the consultation response in May, the Government has engaged with the Association of British Bookmakers, bookmakers, and machine manufacturers to further discuss the potential impact of the stake reduction. The Government has made no assessment of the number of jobs created in the gambling industry by reducing the B2 maximum stake.

Performing Arts: Europe

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union on the ability of independent artists to tour Europe after the UK has left the EU; and what assessment he has made of their ability to tour Europe in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Margot James: The Government understands that outward mobility of creative talent is key to the success of the creative industries, especially for sub-sectors like music where touring is the life-blood of the industry. We recognise the importance of temporary movement of goods and equipment for touring musicians in the sector. The White Paper on The Future Relationship between the United Kingdom and European Union includes a specific reference to the importance of mobility for cultural cooperation in its Mobility chapter. DCMS have held a series of ministerial roundtables with the creative sector on the impacts of the UK’s exit from the EU on the creative industries, including representatives from the music industry regarding touring musicians and crews and my Department will continue this engagement as we prepare for exit. We also know that self-employed professionals make up a large part of the sector, and that is why the government’s White Paper on The Future Relationship between the United Kingdom and European Union mentions that the UK will look to discuss mobility of self-employed and freelance workers as part of negotiations. We firmly believe it is in the interests of both the EU and the UK to strike a deal. That remains the goal on both sides and we are confident that this will be achieved. But it is the job of a responsible Government to prepare for all scenarios, including the unlikely event that we reach March 2019 without agreeing a deal. To date, we have published a series of 77 technical notices so that businesses and citizens have time to prepare in the event of a ‘no deal’ scenario, with more to be published shortly. These do not reflect the totality of our plans, and do not reflect an increased likelihood of ‘no deal;’ an acceleration at this point was long-planned to ensure plans are in place by March 2019 in the unlikely scenario they are needed.

Performing Arts

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the ability of artists who reside in the EU to tour the UK in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Margot James: The Creative Industries are one of the UK’s greatest success stories. With the UK coming top of Portland’s Soft Power Index in 2018, we are recognised as a world leader for the creative industries and an exciting cultural destination for artists. In terms of the UK’s exit from the EU, the Government firmly believes it is in the interests of both the EU and the UK to strike a deal. That remains the goal on both sides and we are confident that this will be achieved. But it is the job of a responsible Government to prepare for all scenarios, including the unlikely event that we reach March 2019 without agreeing a deal. We recognise the importance of temporary movement of goods and equipment for touring musicians. Although subject to negotiation, the phased introduction of the Facilitated Customs Arrangement (FCA) put forward in the White Paper on The Future Relationship between the United Kingdom and European Union is a business-friendly model that would remove the need for customs checks and controls between the UK and the EU as if they were a combined customs territory. We know that touring is the lifeblood of the creative industries and we will always welcome artists coming to the UK to perform; the UK’s decision to leave the EU will not change that - whether or not we leave with a deal.

Arts

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on small and medium enterprises in the creative industries of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Margot James: The creative industries sector is a major cultural and economic success story for the UK and DCMS have regularly engaged with the sector to ensure that their needs are heard. The Government firmly believes that it is in the interests of both the EU and the UK to strike a deal. That remains the goal on both sides and we are confident that this will be achieved. But it is the job of a responsible Government to prepare for all scenarios, including the unlikely event that we reach March 2019 without agreeing a deal. To date, we have published a series of 77 technical notices so that businesses and citizens have time to prepare in the event of a ‘no deal’ scenario, with further to follow. These do not reflect the totality of our plans, and do not reflect an increased likelihood of ‘no deal;’ an acceleration at this point was long-planned to ensure plans are in place by March 2019 in the unlikely scenario they are needed. We understand that small and medium enterprises make up a large part of the creative industries. Regardless of whether we leave the EU with a deal, the government is working with industry leaders to deliver £150m of joint government and industry investment as part of our Sector Deal. We will always welcome those with the skills, the drive and the talent to make our creative industries thrive.

5G: Health Hazards

Mr William Wragg: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made about the safety of 5G with respect to human health.

Margot James: 5G is the latest evolution of mobile communications technologies and currently in its development stages. 5G is likely to be deployed as part of a patchwork of technologies, including those already in use, such as advanced LTE (4G), Wi-Fi, as well as 5G new radio - forming a ‘network of networks’ of a heterogeneous nature. A considerable amount of research has been carried out on radio waves and we anticipate no negative effects on public health. The Government expects that existing UK technical standards will be adhered to throughout the development and deployment of 5G products and networks. These standards draw on the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, which takes into account the well-researched effects of radio waves. As 5G continues to develop, the Government is committed to working with Public Health England’s Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards (CRCE) in order to monitor available evidence and will take action if necessary.

5G: Health Hazards

Mr William Wragg: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many representations his Department has received on the health risks of 5G technology.

Margot James: 5G is the latest evolution of mobile communications technologies and currently in its development stages. 5G is likely to be deployed as part of a patchwork of technologies, including those already in use, such as advanced LTE (4G), Wi-Fi, as well as 5G new radio - forming a ‘network of networks’ of a heterogeneous nature. The Department has had a number of open consultations, and calls for evidence over the past year, for the Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review, as well as relating to the 5G Programme. Across these, and with departmental correspondence, we have received 34 representations on the potential health risks of 5G technology. A considerable amount of research has been carried out on radio waves and we anticipate no negative effects on public health. As 5G continues to develop, the Government is committed to working with Public Health England’s Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards (CRCE) in order to monitor available evidence and will take action if necessary.

Disability: Politics

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what data his Department hold on the level of political participation and civic engagement among disabled people.

Margot James: My department does not hold the information requested.

Exercise: Older People

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has in place to encourage (a) over-55s to become fitness instructors and coaches (b) other aspects of diversity in the physical activity sector workforce.

Tracey Crouch: An inclusive and professional sport and physical activity workforce is a vital part of the sport and physical activity strategies of both government and the national sport council, Sport England. Sport England published its workforce strategy ‘Working in an Active Nation’ on 12 September 2018 after a widespread sector consultation. The strategy sets out the intention to support the sport and physical activity workforce to become more customer focused and to increase its recognition as a professional sector. Sport England has developed a series of strategic approaches and key actions that will help achieve the strategy’s objectives. This includes engaging with both traditional and new partners across the sector to improve the diversity and inclusion of the workforce at all levels.

Broadband

Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, for what reason the Government has encouraged multiple full fibre infrastructure providers to build competing networks in the same areas.

Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the building of multiple open access full fibre networks in the same locations on the Government’s target of nationwide full fibre by 2033.

Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review, published in July 2018, whether he has plans to bring forward legislative proposals to ensure transparency in the proposals for full fibre network build plans.

Margot James: The recommendations of the Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review (FTIR) were based on analysis of UK and global broadband markets, as well as extensive engagement with stakeholders. The FTIR concluded that the most effective way to deliver nationwide full fibre coverage by 2033 is to promote network competition wherever possible. The FTIR expects around a third of the country to be able to support three or more gigabit capable networks and a further half of the country to be able to support two gigabit capable networks. This includes the majority of suburban areas and towns. The FTIR recognised that the remainder of the country will be made up of areas that can only support a single network and that some areas, likely to be largely remote rural areas, will be too costly for the market to deliver alone. For the latter, likely to be around 10% of premises in the UK, the Government will pursue a strategy to support deployment of full fibre starting at the same time as the market deploys to commercially viable areas.

Broadband

Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of multiple providers investing in full-fibre networks in the same areas on digital services in (a) suburban areas and (b) towns.

Margot James: The Government is interested in the effect that greater transparency of build plans might have on accelerating the commercial rollout of full fibre networks. As a first step, the Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review committed the Government to discuss with BT and Ofcom how transparency measures might be introduced. The Government will consider next steps, including whether any legislation is required, following those discussions.

Charities

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the average waiting time was for applications for charitable status to the Charity Commission to be processed in each of the last three years.

Tracey Crouch: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Charity Commission. Please see the attached letter from Helen Stephenson, CBE, Chief Executive Officer, Charity Commission for England and Wales.



Helen Stephenson letter to Tom Watson 
(PDF Document, 229.8 KB)

Cybercrime

Jo Platt: To ask the Minister for the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many Cyber Essentials certificates his Department has issued.

Margot James: The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) manages the Cyber Essentials scheme, which is designed to protect organisations against the most common internet based threats through the implementation of a set of five core technical controls. As of the end of September 2018, 18,939 certificates have been issued.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Insolvency

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the need to secure an agreement on mutual recognition of judgments and appointments in respect of insolvency after the UK leaves the EU.

Kelly Tolhurst: The Government has made clear that an effective framework of civil judicial cooperation is an important part of the deep and special partnership we want to establish with the EU on exit. It is in the interests of the UK and the EU that there continues to be an effective framework for resolving cross-border legal disputes, including insolvency, after we leave. This was set out in the Government’s position paper on Civil Judicial Cooperation, “Providing a cross-border civil judicial cooperation framework” issued on 22 August 2017 and confirmed in the White Paper “The future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union” published on 12 July 2018.

Small Businesses: Government Assistance

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what financial support the Government plans to make available to SMEs to assist them in preparing for and meeting the costs of the UK leaving the EU.

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government plans to introduce a Brexit loan scheme, similar to that made available by the Irish Government, to help SMEs meet the costs of the UK leaving the EU.

Kelly Tolhurst: We want a future relationship that is broader in scope than any other between the EU and a third country and one that reflects the UK and EU’s shared history and values, close ties, and unique starting point.We know that SMEs want certainty as soon as possible on what will happen next and how it may impact them. This is why we are pleased to welcome agreement on the terms of an implementation period, which will protect economic and regulatory cooperation and ensure there is no sudden change as we build our future partnership with the EU.We will continue to publish all relevant material on gov.uk. Businesses can register to get information on the progress of negotiations direct to their inbox by signing up to the DExEU stakeholder bulletin.In addition, we will continue to listen to businesses up and down the country through our regular engagements.

Property: Ownership

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Open Government National Action Plan 2016-18, published on 12 May 2016, for what reason the Government's April 2018 deadline for bringing forward legislative proposals on the property ownership register has not been met.

Kelly Tolhurst: A Written Ministerial Statement (HCWS425) was published on 24 January 2018 confirming the timetable for the establishment of a public register of beneficial owners of non-UK entities that own or buy property in the UK. As committed to in the Written Ministerial Statement, the Government published a draft Bill before the summer recess.

Companies: Ownership

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment his Department has made of the ability of Companies House to verify beneficial ownership data submitted to the register.

Kelly Tolhurst: Companies House carries out a number of checks on all information received; ensuring it is valid, complete, correctly formatted and in compliance with company filing requirements. The obligation to ensure the information is accurate lies with the company and its directors. A company commits an offence if it files false information.In addition, following the Financial Action Task Force evaluation, which will report back in due course, the Government will actively consider areas where the Anti Money Laundering/Counter Terrorism Finance framework can be improved. The Government will look in particular at controls over who registers companies in the UK, what information they have to provide, and how assurance is provided over that information

Fracking

Lee Rowley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many onshore wells the Government aims to be hydraulically fractured for shale gas between 2018-2038.

Lee Rowley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many onshore wells the Government estimates will be hydraulically fractured for shale gas in the UK from 2018-2038.

Lee Rowley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment has been made of the potential effect of the operation of the shale gas industry in the UK on the level of gas prices from 2018 to 2038.

Claire Perry: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Southampton, Test on 6th April 2018 response to Question 134603. The Government will continue to monitor progress of the shale gas industry and will revise its estimates, as appropriate, as the industry develops.

Fracking

Lee Rowley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of the number of onshore wells needed to be hydraulically fractured in the UK between 2018-2038 to replace 50 per cent of the UK's natural gas demand.

Claire Perry: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has not made any estimates on the proportion of UK gas demand that could be met from UK-sourced shale gas.

Biofuels: Timber

Stephen Kerr: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of subsidies provided to renewable technologies burning wood for fuel under the (a) Renewables Obligation Certificate, (b) Contract for Difference, (c) Feed in Tariff and (d) Domestic and Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive in each of the past five years.

Claire Perry: The estimated cost of support to renewable technologies burning wood for fuel under three of the schemes in each of the last financial years is shown in the table to the nearest million pounds (in nominal prices). Wood burning is not supported by any technology eligible for support under the Feed-in Tariff scheme.  2013/142014/152015/162016/172017/18Renewables Obligation[1]£441m£678m£853m£767m£520mContracts for Difference000£92m£544mRenewable Heat Incentive[2]£50m£138m£239m£295m£408m For the Renewables Obligation, information is not available on the value of support specifically for renewable technologies burning wood. Therefore, the figures provided are the support for technologies capable of burning wood, but other biomass fuels may have been used. The figures for the Contracts for Difference reflect total payments, including to biomass projects, made during the first two financial years of the scheme’s operation and reported by the Low Carbon Contracts Company, the scheme administrator, in its annual reports. Payments by technology type are not reported separately. Wood fuel burning is subsidised under the Domestic RHI biomass tariff and the Non-domestic tariffs for biomass and solid biomass CHP. This assumes all fuel for CHP is wood, as it is not possible to disaggregate wood fuel for CHP. Other types of solid biomass fuel are also eligible for RHI CHP support. [1] The Renewables Obligation figures are based on Ofgem’s certificate report as at 23/08/2018 from their Renewables and CHP Register.[2] The actual spend may be different, due to delayed submission of meter readings.

Biofuels: Subsidies

Stephen Kerr: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many recipients of biomass subsidy payments there have been under the (a) Renewables Obligation Certificate, (b) Contract for Difference, (c) Feed in Tariff and (d) Domestic and Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive in each of the last five years.

Claire Perry: The number of individual installations in receipt of biomass support payments in each of the last five financial years is shown in the table. The table includes data for technologies supported by these schemes which generate electricity, heat or Combined Heat and Power from biomass, which is material derived directly or indirectly from plant or animal matter, fungi, algae or bacteria, including wastes and residues of biological origin. The biomass technologies eligible for support under each scheme are set out in the relevant legislation and guidance. 2013/142014/152015/162016/172017/18Renewables Obligation[1]674709737855753Contracts for Difference00011Feed-in Tariff83166249365409Renewable Heat Incentive3,41615,66324,14526,70128,497  [1] The Renewables Obligation figures are based on Ofgem’s certificate report as at 23/08/2018 from their Renewables and CHP Register.

Biofuels: Subsidies

Stephen Kerr: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, on what basis levels of biomass subsidies have been set under the (a) Renewables Obligation Certificate, (b) Contracts for Difference, (c) Feed in Tariff and (d) Domestic and Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive; and if he will make a statement.

Claire Perry: The basis on which levels of support provided to biomass technologies is calculated varies according to each scheme. (a) Legislation[1] requires a series of factors to be taken into account when setting Renewables Obligation (RO) support levels, including the generation costs and revenues for each technology; the desirability of securing long-term growth and industry viability as well as costs to consumers and impacts on the market for Renewable Obligation Certificates. The most recent comprehensive review of RO support levels was completed in 2012[2].(b) Strike prices awarded to successful projects in Contracts for Difference (CfD) allocation rounds are determined through a competitive bidding process[3]. Strike prices for biomass projects that were awarded contracts under the Financial Investment Decision Enabling for Renewables programme, an early form of CfDs, were set out in the Electricity Market Reform Delivery Plan and Annex B: Strike Price Methodology [4].(c) In the last review of Feed-in Tariff levels for Anaerobic Digestion projects undertaken in 2016[5], a return on investment of 9.1% was assumed.(d) Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) tariffs are set to compensate generators for the added cost of renewable heating, over and above what would have been paid otherwise. For a given installation, the lifetime cost of the renewable technology and the alternative system (e.g. oil boiler) are considered. The RHI tariff is then set using an economic model so that the rate of return targeted for the applicant population is achieved over the full lifetime of the heating system. [1] Section 32D(4) of the Electricity Act 1989, as amended by the Energy Act 2008.[2] Renewables Obligation consultation at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/renewables-obligation-banding-review[3] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/contracts-for-difference/contract-for-difference[4] Electricity Market Reform Delivery Plan and Strike Price Methodology Annex: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electricity-market-reform-delivery-plan[5] https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/review-of-support-for-anaerobic-digestion-and-micro-combined-heat-and-power-under-the-feed-in-tariffs-scheme

District Heating

Janet Daby: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the recommendations of the Competition Market Authorities’ study of Heat Networks, published in July 2018.

Claire Perry: I welcome the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA’s) final report of its market study into heat networks, which makes important recommendations on how to strengthen consumer protections for domestic heat network customers. In line with our 2017 customer survey, the CMA found that for many consumers heat networks offer an efficient service at prices which are similar or lower than other potential alternatives. However, there are issues affecting the sector that need addressing. I expect to respond to the CMA’s recommendations later this year by setting out our priorities for establishing a heat networks market framework that delivers growth in the market in a way that protects consumers, delivers sustained investment and maximises the potential economic and environmental benefits from heat networks. In addition, we are continuing to support the heat networks industry in improving consumer protections, such as through the Heat Trust, an independent voluntary customer protection scheme.

Offshore Drilling: Bournemouth Bay

Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what representations he has received from (a) Members of Parliament, (b) Dorset County Council, (c) Poole Borough Council, (d) Bournemouth Borough Council and (e) district councils in Dorset on the proposal by Corallian Engery Ltd to drill an appraisal well in the Colter Prospect in Bournemouth Bay.

Claire Perry: Representations were received from my rt. Hon. Friends the Members for New Forest East, South Holland and The Deepings, and Bournemouth East; and my hon. Friends the Members for Bournemouth West, and Meon Valley. The concerns related, in particular, to the perceived sensitivity of the proposed well location, potential effects on tourism and leisure activities and also potential effects on local seahorse populations. Additional concerns cited related to the potential impact of a major oil spill and the policy of continued exploitation of fossil fuels. A representation was received from Dorset County Council confirming that there was no objection in relation to landscape and seascape impacts, due to the short-term nature of the operations. Representations was also received from the Borough of Poole Council and Bournemouth Borough Council on concerns regarding the effects on tourism, the risk of a vessel collision with the drilling rig in poor weather or storm conditions, and potential impacts on water quality from operational marine discharges that could affect the area’s ‘Blue Flag’ beaches. No representations were received from district councils in Dorset.

Fracking

Lee Rowley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many shale gas exploration and hydraulic fracturing sites the Minister for Energy and Clean Growth has visited since June 2017.

Claire Perry: I have had a number of meetings with stakeholders interested in shale gas exploration, but have not yet had opportunity to visit a site.

Fracking

Lee Rowley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which shale gas companies the Minister for Energy and Clean Growth has met since June 2017.

Claire Perry: Since June 2017, in my capacity as Minister for Energy and Clean Growth, I have met with a range of stakeholders, including representatives from shale gas companies.

Fracking

Lee Rowley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many times the Minister for Energy and Clean Growth has met shale gas (a) companies and (b) industry representatives since June 2017.

Claire Perry: I have met periodically with both shale gas companies and industry representatives.

Natural Gas

Lee Rowley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment has been made of UK demand for natural gas from 2018 to 2038.

Claire Perry: This is publicly available information and can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/digest-of-uk-energy-statistics-dukes.

Money Laundering: EU Law

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the ability of Companies House to verify that a company registering with Companies House complies with the EU's fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive.

Kelly Tolhurst: The EU’s Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive requires Member States to ensure that companies in their jurisdictions obtain and hold information on their beneficial owners. The UK’s register of company beneficial owners, the People with Significant Control register, went live in June 2016, and UK companies have been required to obtain, hold and provide to Companies House their beneficial ownership information. The UK’s anti-money laundering regime is currently being evaluated by the Financial Action Task Force, which will report in due course. Following this evaluation, the Government will actively consider areas where the anti-money laundering framework can be improved. The Government will look in particular at controls over who registers companies in the UK, what information they have to provide, and how assurance is provided over that information.

Money Laundering

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment the Government has made of the potential merits of imposing stronger penalties on people found to have set up shell companies to launder money.

Kelly Tolhurst: Individuals setting up a company must provide information on who ultimately owns and controls the company and keep this information up to date, in line with the requirements of the People with Significant Control register. It can assist law enforcement in their investigations of alleged criminal behaviour, including money laundering. Companies House carries out a number of checks on all information received, ensuring it is valid, complete, and in compliance with company filing requirements. When it detects or receives intelligence relating to suspicious actions, including possible money laundering, Companies House will report the information to the relevant enforcement body. The UK’s anti-money laundering regime is currently being evaluated by the Financial Action Task Force, which will report in due course. Following this evaluation, the Government will consider areas where the anti-money laundering framework can be improved.

Royal Mail: Databases

Sir Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an assessment of the accuracy of addresses in the Royal Mail database; and if he will make a statement.

Kelly Tolhurst: Royal Mail is a private company. The accuracy of addresses in its database is a matter for the Royal Mail.

Energy: Meters

Alex Chalk: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he has taken to require energy companies and property management companies to ensure that tenants have easy access to their energy meters.

Claire Perry: Under Schedule 7 of the Electricity Act 1989, the supplier shall determine the position of the meter within the customer’s premises, unless in all circumstances it is more reasonable to place it outside premises or in some other position. The position of a gas meter must comply with the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. This requires consumers to have access to the meter and emergency control valve for safety reasons. If a meter box is locked, the consumer must be provided with the corresponding key. For prepayment meters, under the terms of their supply licence, suppliers must alter the position of the meter if it is not safe and reasonably practicable in all circumstances for the consumer to use it.

Wind Power: Seas and Oceans

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 13 September to Question 168979 on Electricity: Storage, for what reason the Government has no plans to move offshore wind into Pot 1.

Claire Perry: The basis on which technologies are included in the Contracts for Difference pots is set out in our 2014 State Aid approval.

Wind Power: Lancashire

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many applications for community and industry-led wind farms in Lancashire have been received in the last three years; what the outcome of those applications was; and what progress has been made on delivering the agreed benefits to the local community of any such successful applications.

Claire Perry: Three planning applications were submitted for onshore wind farms in Lancashire between October 2015 and October 2018 according to the Renewable Energy Planning Database (REPD): Table 1: Planning applications for onshore wind farms in Lancashire submitted between October 2015 and October 2017Site nameInstalled capacity (MW)Planning application submittedStatusLower Alt Wind Farm4214/12/2015Application RefusedHameldon Hill Wind Farm7.113/06/2016Awaiting ConstructionHoddlesdon Moss (Resubmission)2.729/06/2016Application Withdrawn The REPD tracks applications for renewable energy projects as they move through the planning system. It shows projects that have applied for planning permission in the previous month or earlier for projects with a capacity greater than, or equal to, 1MW. The REPD does not differentiate between projects that are community and industry-led. Community benefits are a matter to be agreed between a project developer and the local community, and are not material considerations in any planning decision.

Carers: Leave

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has plans to bring forward legislative proposals for paid leave for people with caring responsibilities.

Kelly Tolhurst: The Government is committed to supporting carers to provide care as they would wish, and to do so in a way that takes account of their own health and well-being, access to education, employment and life chances. The Government is taking action to address the practical challenges of balancing work and caring responsibilities, as set out in the Carers Action Plan 2018 – 2020: supporting carers today that we published in June 2018. The Government is considering the question of dedicated employment rights for carers alongside existing employment rights.

Food: Safety

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when food safety problems emerge at a facility covered by the Food Standards Agency primary authority (PA) scheme, but not located in the jurisdiction of the local authority that is the PA, which local authority is responsible for inspecting and auditing that facility.

Kelly Tolhurst: Primary Authority is a scheme administered by the Office for Product Safety and Standards on behalf of my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to improve businesses’ access to advice, and co-ordination of local authority regulation of businesses, including food standards regulation. National regulators such as the Foods Standards Agency may provide support to primary authorities. Where a primary authority relationship exists with a food manufacturer/retailer, the local authority in whose area a facility is located remains responsible for dealing with food safety problems including enforcement of the food standards regulation in their local authority area.

Employment: Carers and Parents

Laura Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to (a) understand and (b) tackle the issues that (i) carers and (ii) parents face in (A) retaining, (B) entering and (C) progressing in work.

Kelly Tolhurst: (i) CarersThe Government is committed to supporting carers to provide care as they would wish, and to do so in a way that takes account of their own health and wellbeing, access to education, employment and life chances. Our Call for Evidence on carers in 2016 highlighted the practical challenges of balancing work and caring responsibilities. In June 2018 we published an action plan setting out a cross-government programme of targeted work to support carers over the next two years. That includes action to support employers to improve working practices and flexible working and to help carers to stay in work and return to work, as well as improving advice on financial support. (ii) ParentsThe Government has taken numerous actions to help people balance work and family. We have introduced 30 hours of free childcare for working parents of 3- and 4-year olds and we are giving working parents more help with the costs of childcare. Under the Coalition Government we also extended the right to request flexible working to all employees and introduced shared parental leave and pay: evaluation of both changes is ongoing. At Spring Budget 2017, the Government committed £5m to supporting parents and careers back into work following a career break for caring. The Government has commissioned research to identify the barriers to both carers and parents in returning to work following a break for caring. We are seeking to tackle those through encouraging employers to set up supportive, flexible returner opportunities.

Solar Power: Feed-in Tariffs

Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will reconsider proposals to end the export tariff for new solar installations in April 2019.

Claire Perry: We are carefully considering responses received to the consultation proposal to end the Feed-In Tariffs export payments for new applications after 31 March 2019. A Government response will be published in due course.

Summertime: EU Action

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of European Commission proposals to change EU summertime arrangements on Government policy, in the event that the UK leaves the EU in March 2019.

Kelly Tolhurst: The Commission’s proposal does not present a strong evidence base that shows why the change is necessary nor that demonstrates the benefits to Member States, their citizens, or the EU.

Estate Agents: Fees and Charges

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of a legal requirement for property companies to provide (a) a breakdown of monies requested from companies operating from their properties, and (b) receipts for expenditure.

Kelly Tolhurst: The Government has no current plans to do so.

Gratuities

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the planned timescale is for the proposed ban on businesses taking a proportion of their workers' tips.

Kelly Tolhurst: On 1 October 2018, the Government announced its intention to legislate to ban employers from making deductions from tips. This will ensure a better deal for workers, but also for consumers who will have the confidence that their tips go to workers as they intended. These new rules will require primary legislation and will be introduced in due course.

Audit

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the planned timescale is for the review of the UK audit industry.

Kelly Tolhurst: The Competition and Markets Authority CMA is undertaking a review of the audit sector. It has announced that it plans to consult on provisional findings by the end of the year and complete the study as soon as possible thereafter. The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has also asked Sir John Kingman to provide his thoughts on whether there is any case for change in the way in which audits are procured and audit fees are set, alongside his independent review of the Financial Reporting Council, to conclude by the end of 2018.

Small Businesses: Billing

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2018 to Question 174703 on Small Businesses: Billing, what encouragement the Chartered Institute for Credit Management has given to organisations on signing up to the prompt payment code.

Kelly Tolhurst: The Chartered Institute of Credit Management (CICM) administer the Prompt Payment Code on behalf of the Department. The Code is a voluntary set of best-practice principles, which organisations can choose to sign up to. CICM promote the Code through a variety of industry led events and through their dedicated website found at http://www.promptpaymentcode.org.uk/. The Prompt Payment Code plays an important role in setting best practice principles in payment terms and practices. The government has recently announced new measures that will help strengthen the Code in enforcing these principles, including appointing the Small Business Commissioner to the Code’s Compliance Board to embed greater independence from industry and support his role in tackling late payment. Furthermore, my Department has now launched a call for evidence seeking views on how we can build on the government’s existing late payment policies, including the Prompt Payment Code, to drive an end to late payments. The Call for Evidence will look at whether there is merit in introducing additional measures, including whether the Small Business Commissioner should have a greater role in the Code’s administration.

Overseas Companies: Imports

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effect of companies moving production to European locations and importing the goods on the job security, pay and conditions of their workers.

Kelly Tolhurst: We are committed to getting the best possible deal for the United Kingdom - a deal that works for all parts of the UK economy. The Government is working to maintain employment security by actively engaging with employers and ensure them that the UK remains one of the best places in the world to start and grow a business. That includes supporting those businesses that trade with the EU and wider international markets, as well as continuing to encourage record foreign direct investment that supports business and communities up and down the country. Investor confidence remains high and according to EY’s 2018 annual attractiveness survey, “the UK remains the number one destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) in Europe, ahead of Germany and France”.

Overseas Companies: Imports

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that goods produced outside of but imported into the UK by UK manufacturers are correctly labelled.

Kelly Tolhurst: Products sold on the UK market must comply with a range of legal requirements, including in some cases, in relation to labelling. Enforcement authorities have the ability to take action where products do not comply with the legislation.

Companies: Industrial Relations

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing public awareness of the industrial relations records of companies.

Kelly Tolhurst: No assessment has been made. The UK takes a voluntarist approach to industrial relations and collective bargaining issues.Where an employer refuses to recognise any union in a workplace, the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 Act provides for a statutory recognition procedure that gives independent unions the right to apply to the Central Arbitration Committee to be statutorily recognised for the purposes of collective bargaining.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Leasehold

Laura Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will mane an assessment of the potential merits of abolishing leasehold as part of its review of leasehold property.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: Leasehold can be an effective tool for making multiple-ownership more straightforward, such as in blocks of flats with shared fabric and common areas. However, other than in exceptional circumstances new build houses should be sold on a freehold basis.We believe that where a house can be built and sold as freehold then it should be. This means that house owners are not faced with charges for ground rents or a time limited lease where this is not necessary. That is why we announced last year that we would bring forward legislation as soon as Parliamentary time allows to prohibit new residential long leases from being granted on houses, whether new build or on existing freehold houses.We are also working with the Law Commission to reinvigorate the use of commonhold as an alternative to leasehold to provide greater choice for home owners.

Estate Agents: Fees and Charges

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to require property management companies to provide tenants with a detailed breakdown of service fees when in advance of increasing fees.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: We believe very strongly that service charges should be transparent, communicated effectively and that there should be a clear route to challenge or redress if things go wrong.That is why on 12 October, we announced a property agent working group to consider options to raise standards across the property agent sector, including looking at how fees such as service charges should be presented to consumers and to explore the best means to challenge fees which are unjustified. The working group will be chaired by Lord Best, along with experts from across the property sector and will report back to Government in summer 2019.

Homelessness: Southampton

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much funding his Department has allocated to Southampton for schemes to tackle homelessness since 2010.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: This Government is committed to ensuring everyone has a home and we are taking unprecedented action to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping. Therefore, over £1.2 billion in funding has now been allocated through to 2020 to reduce homelessness and rough sleeping.Since 2010, the Government has allocated £6,002,487 to Southampton as part of its homelessness prevention and rough sleeping programmes.

Travellers: Caravan Sites

Dame Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many authorised pitches each local authority in the West Midlands has been granted.

Kit Malthouse: The Department collects official statistics on the count of Traveller caravans in England. Data is collected from local authorities on a bi-annual basis to reflect winter residence and summer travelling trends. All datasets and publications can be found online on our statistical series page here - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/traveller-caravan-count.The Traveller caravan count covers data on the number of caravans and traveller sites in England; it does not cover the number of occupants residing in these caravans, or caravan sites or the potential drivers for any observed change. In addition, the count does not capture the total number of pitches in each local authority, only those which are occupied at the time of each count.

Sleeping Rough: Young People

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Government has plans to undertake a (a) trial and (b) evaluation of Housing First for under-25s, including people who are not entrenched rough sleepers.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: Piloting Housing First was a 2017 manifesto commitment and was first announced at the Autumn Budget 2017. It is an important element of the Government’s effort to end rough sleeping by 2027. It will build on the implementation of the Homelessness Reduction Act, and the new Rough Sleeping Initiative that the previous Secretary of State announced on 30 March.The Housing First Pilots that Government are funding in West Midlands, Greater Manchester and Liverpool City Region combined authorities will provide support to rough sleepers with the most complex needs, regardless of their age. The £28 million funding also includes £2.7 million for the external evaluation of the pilots. This will ensure we have a robust evidence base for the effectiveness of the approach.There are currently no plans to develop a trial and evaluation of Housing First specifically for under-25s. However, we are committed to preventing youth homelessness and ensuring that young people get the support they need. That is why we announced in our Rough Sleeping Strategy that we are launching a new Social Impact Bond (SIB) targeted at young people who are at risk of homelessness or rough sleeping.The Young Futures Fund will be aimed at young people aged 18-24 who are homeless and not in education, employment and training, with the ultimate goal of improving their life outcomes by offering them the tailored wrap around support that they need. It will build on the successes of the Fair Chance Fund which supported over 1,900 homeless young people to improve accommodation, employment and education outcomes. We will take the learning from the Fair Chance Fund to inform our approach.

Refuges: Domestic Violence

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the report, Pressing for Progress, published by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission in July 2018, what steps his Department is taking to (a) tackle the shortage of refuge space for women fleeing domestic violence in the UK, and (b) ensure that women are not refused refuge as a result of the number of children they have.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided to Question UIN 173543 on 19 September 2018.

Travellers: Caravan Sites

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the report, Pressing for Progress, published by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission in July 2018, when he plans to respond to the recommendations to (a) replace the current planning definition of Gypsies and Travellers with the more inclusive definition in the Housing Act 2004, and (b) reintroduce the duty on local authorities to provide sites for Gypsies and Travellers under the Caravan Sites Act 1968.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: The Government response to the recent consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework confirmed that we are considering whether any changes may be required to the planning policy for traveller sites, as a result of the changes in the revised Framework. In addition, the Government is also reviewing responses to the consultation on Powers for dealing with Unauthorised Development and Encampments, which closed on 15 June. This consultation asked whether there are any specific barriers to the provision of more authorised permanent and transit sites and, if so, whether there is any action that the Government could take to help overcome those barriers. We will provide a formal response to this consultation, as well as confirming whether any changes are required to the planning policy for traveller sites, in due course.

Vodafone Group: Birmingham City Council

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much rent Vodafone has paid to Birmingham City Council for the use of (a) highways and (b) other local authority land for (i) telephone masts and (ii) other telecoms equipment.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on the amount of rent Vodafone has paid to local authorities for the use of (a) highways and (b) other local authority land for (i) telephone masts and (ii) other telecoms equipment.

Rishi Sunak: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government does not hold this information.

Electrical Safety: Older People

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing free electrical safety checks for vulnerable older people.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: The Government has recently announced that it will introduce new requirements for landlords to conduct electrical safety checks in the private rented sector to help ensure the safety of all their tenants, including older people. In the Social Housing Green Paper we are consulting on whether new safety measures in the private rented sector should also apply to social housing, as well as whether there are any changes needed to the definition of what constitutes a Decent Home.

Owner Occupation: Electrical Safety

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what help is available to people living in the owner-occupied housing sector who have electrically unsafe properties but are unable to afford essential remedial work.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: The Department does not run any schemes to provide financial support for electrical safety remedial work in the owner occupied sector.

Holiday Accommodation: Non-domestic Rates

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if his Department will make an assessment of the adequacy of the procedures for assessing the liability of holiday lets for business rates.

Rishi Sunak: Holiday lets are a valuable part of the local business landscape. They are assessed for business rates if they are available for short-term lets for 140 days or more per financial year. This rule is widely understood and provides a clear method of deciding whether a property should be liable for council tax or business rates. It ensures that properties do not switch year-to-year between council tax and business rates merely due to success in letting out the property. However, the Department is aware of concerns about this criterion, and is considering whether it remains appropriate.

Land Use

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what geographical area was covered by the land use categories cited in the National Accounts (a) land underlying buildings and structure, (b) land underlying dwellings, (c) land underlying buildings and other structures, (d) land underlying cultivated biological resources, (e) agricultural land, (f) forestry land, (g) surface water used for aquaculture, (h) recreational land and (i) other land not elsewhere classified in each year from 1995 to 2016.

Kit Malthouse: The national accounts are produced by the Office for National Statistics details of definitions and coverage used in the production of national accounts should be requested from them directly at capstocks@ons.gov.uk.The Ministry of Housing Communities and Government produces Land Use Change statistics. These statistics are used to show the amounts and location of land changing use in England, they are not produced as part of the national accounts. https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/land-use-change-statistics

Housing: Construction

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many Starter Homes have been (a) started and (b) completed.

James Brokenshire: The new National Planning Policy Framework, published in July this year, brought starter homes within the definition of affordable housing, as per our Housing White Paper commitment. We expect to make an announcement on the next steps for starter homes in the near future.In the meantime we are supporting people's aspirations to buy through a range of initiatives including Help to Buy, Right to Buy, greater funding for Shared Ownership and Rent to Buy. Since Spring 2010 Government-backed schemes have helped over 481,000 households to buy a home and the number of first-time buyers is at a nine-year annual high. The Stamp Duty exemption for first time buyers announced last autumn helped 121,500 people by June 2018.

Carers: Young People

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support young carers in the UK.

Rishi Sunak: The carers action plan sets out the Government’s commitment to supporting carers and outlines the cross-government programme of work to support carers in England over the next two years, building on the National Carers Strategy.Over this spending period councils in England will also be able to access more than £200 billion to spend on local services. The majority of this funding is non-ringfenced as it is for local authorities, who are independent of central government, to manage their budgets in line with locally determined priorities.

Sleeping Rough

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what funding his Department plans to make available to local authorities to support rough sleepers during winter 2018-19.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: In March this year, we announced the Rough Sleeping Initiative, which provided £30 million to 83 local authorities with high levels of rough sleeping. This represents a significant increase in support local authorities are able to offer people now and also those at risk this coming winter.This funding will go towards over 500 new dedicated homelessness workers and an additional 1,750 bed spaces. We expect this additional provision to be fully in place before the beginning of the winter period.To support local authorities to prepare for cold weather, Homeless Link provide guidance on the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP), which can be found on their website at the following link: https://www.homeless.org.uk/our-work/resources/guidance-on-severe-weather-emergency-protocol-swep-and-extended-weather-provision.It is our expectation that local authorities will work together with partners to provide basic emergency accommodation to minimise the risk of harm to individuals when the temperature drops.

Social Rented Housing: Finance

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the announcement on local authority funding, made by the Prime Minister on 3 October 2018, what plans his Department has to allocate additional funding to local authorities for the provision of social housing provision.

Kit Malthouse: The removal of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) borrowing cap, as announced by the Prime Minister, will enable local authorities to borrow for house building in accordance with the Prudential Code. Once the borrowing cap has been removed, local authorities will be free to borrow to build new social homes without applying to the Government for permission.

Ministry of Defence

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2018 to Question 123120 on Armoured Fighting Vehicles, when his Department plans to take delivery of the AJAX vehicles; what the timetable is for the delivery of those vehicles to his Department; what the timetable is for the roll-out of those vehicles across the Armoured Infantry and new Strike Brigades; when that roll-out will be completed; how many of those vehicles have been (a) delivered and (b) rolled-out to date; and if he will make a statement.

Stuart Andrew: The AJAX programme is currently in its low-rate initial production phase, with the Army expected to take formal delivery of the ARES variant later this year. Negotiations are ongoing to confirm the delivery and manufacture timelines, with the aim of achieving the Initial Operating Capability in 2020, and Full Operating Capability in 2025.

Ministry of Defence: Brexit

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Written Statement of 13 March 2018 on Spring Statement, HCWS540, how much of that funding he has allocated to (a) programmes, (b) administration and (c) staffing in his Department.

Gavin Williamson: The Ministry of Defence was allocated £12.7 million for for costs arising as the UK leave the EU in the Government's Spring Statement 2018. The final breakdown between programme and administration spend will be confirmed in the Supplementary Estimates

Veterans: Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what funding his Department provides to (a) local authorities and (b) private residences to help pay for home security requirements for ex-forces personnel living with PTSD.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Ministry of Defence does not provide any funding to local authorities or private residences to help pay for home security requirements for ex-forces personnel living with PTSD.

Sea King Helicopters: Asbestos

Colin Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what type of asbestos was contained in Sea King helicopters; and in what parts of the helicopter that asbestos was located.

Stuart Andrew: The Sea King first entered service in 1969 and the final aircraft were retired from the active inventory on 30 September 2018.Historically, Asbestos Containing Material was used where resistance to heat or an insulating property was required.In the Sea King this was principally in gaskets and seals located around the engines, gearboxes, heating and ventilation systems.A detailed investigation is ongoing, however the Design Organisation, Leonardo Helicopters, has confirmed that to the best of their knowledge, Chrysolite (white) asbestos is the only asbestos type that was used.

Army: Young People

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Joint Personnel Administration system used by the army, how many complaints have been made by junior soldiers or their parents or guardians about (a) violent behaviour by staff and (b) inappropriate relationships between junior soldiers and staff since 1 August 2017.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Year Incident(s) ReportedNumber of cases: Violent behaviour by staff (includes allegations of assault/battery/ill-treatment of subordinate)Number of cases: Inappropriate relationships between Junior Soldiers and staff1 August 2017 - 1 July 2018~0 Notes: Each reported allegation may include more than one alleged incident and/or victim. Please note that these figures are single service estimates and are not official statistics produced by Defence Statistics. Figures have been rounded to the nearest five. Rounding is used as a means of disclosure control and the preservation of anonymity. '~' denotes fewer than five

Army: Young People

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people under 18 years of age applied to join the army between 1 January 2018 and 1 September 2018.

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people under 18 years of age applied to join the army in the financial year 2015-16; and how many of those people have since started army training.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The information requested will take time to collate and I will write to the hon. Member when it is available.

Army: Young People

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many junior soldiers in the army failed compulsory drug tests in each of the last five calendar years for which data is available.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The number of Junior Soldiers that failed a compulsory drug test in each of the last five calendar years is detailed below. Year20132014201520162017Tested Positive--101020 Notes: We have interpreted Junior Solider to mean those at Army Foundation College (Harrogate). Please note that these figures are single service estimates and are not official statistics produced by Defence Statistics. Figures have been rounded to 10 to limit disclosure and ensure confidentiality; numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias. '-' denotes zero or rounded to zero

Army Foundation College

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many AFC Harrogate graduates undertook an apprenticeship in each of the last three training years; and if he will list those apprenticeships by apprenticeship level.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The information is not held in the format requested to determine the number of Army Foundation College (Harrogate) graduates who have started an apprenticeship in the last three years.

Army: Vehicles

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with (a) General Dynamics and (b) Oshkosh on the procurement of Multi-Role Vehicles (Protected); and if he will make a statement.

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effect of his Department's procurement of new Multi-Role Vehicles (Protected) on jobs in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Stuart Andrew: The Multi-Role Vehicle - Protected programme is being delivered in two packages. For package One, Command, Liaison and Logistic vehicles, the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle manufactured by Oshkosh has been identified as the preferred option. No final decisions have yet been made.For package Two, Troop Carrying Vehicles and Future Protected Battlefield Ambulances, a competition is on-going which includes General Dynamics UK Ltd and Thales UK Ltd.We have regular discussions with industry about this programme. For both of these packages, it is still too early in the procurement process to comment on potential UK jobs.

Army: Young People

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many soldiers enlisted in the army aged under 18 dropped out before completing phase two training in the financial year 2017-18.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: 570 soldiers who enlisted in the Army aged under 18 left before completion of their Phase Two training in financial year 2017-18. The figure is for Regular Army only and therefore excludes Gurkhas, Full Time Reserve Service and Mobilised Reserves. For presentation purposes the figure has been rounded to the nearest 10.

Ministry of Defence: Political Parties

Angus Brendan MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether it is permissible for (a) members of the Armed Forces and (b) Ministry of Defence personnel to join a political party.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Armed Forces personnel and Ministry of Defence civilians are permitted to join political parties. However, all personnel are required to abide by the standards and values of their respective Service or the Civil Service Code, at all times, whether on duty or off duty.

Defence: Diversification

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has a policy on defence diversification to protect jobs in the defence sector.

Stuart Andrew: The people working in the defence sector make an enormous contribution to the capability of our Armed Forces. The industry supports hundreds of thousands of direct and indirect jobs throughout the UK. Our refreshed Defence Industrial Policy, published in December 2017, sets out our commitment to encouraging a thriving and globally competitive UK defence sector as an integral part of the Government's overall Industrial Strategy. This includes encouraging the wider application of our investment in research, and Ploughshare Innovations Ltd was established specifically to support transfer of defence science and technology into the civilian market. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence recently invited Philip Dunne MP to carry out an external review of opportunities to grow the contribution that defence makes to UK prosperity. This was published in July and we are currently considering its recommendations.

Defence: Finance

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the proportion of GDP which is accounted for by the UK defence sector.

Gavin Williamson: The Ministry of Defence does not hold data on the proportion of GDP which is accounted for by the UK defence sector.

MOD St Athan

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Welsh Government relating to MOD St. Athan; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Department is committed to retaining a presence at Ministry of Defence (MOD) St Athan and MOD officials in the Defence Infrastructure Organisation are currently in negotiations with the Welsh Government regarding future arrangements.

Sentinel Aircraft

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in the US Administration on the future of the Sentinel R1 project.

Stuart Andrew: No recent discussions have been undertaken with the US Defense Secretary on the future of the Sentinel RI project.

Army: Sexual Harassment

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 62, paragraph 17.2 of the Army Sexual Harassment Report 2018, published by his Department in September 2018,  what steps he is taking to tackle the rise in the perception that sexual harassment is a problem in the Army.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Ministry of Defence and the Army are committed to preventing sexual harassment and making very clear that unacceptable behaviour of any kind will not be tolerated and action will be taken against anyone found to be engaging in such behaviour.The Army Sexual Harassment Survey follows the previous 2015 survey and the Army has already committed to repeating it again in 2021, underlining its commitment to improving behaviours and openly holding itself to account against the highest standards.The Army's action plan for addressing the issues raised by the survey can be found at the link below. This sets out some of the steps being taken including increased education and training, reviewing and simplifying reporting processes and further enhancing the support available to those who have experienced sexual harassment.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/army-sexual-harassment-report-and-action-plan-2018

Army: Sexual Harassment

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 59, paragraph 16.16 of the Army Sexual Harassment report 2018, published by his Department in September 2018, what steps he is taking to ensure that service personnel that make a formal complaint about an upsetting experience do not suffer negative consequences as a result.

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 55, paragraph 16.6 of the Army Sexual Harassment report 2018, published by his Department in September 2018, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the reporting of upsetting experiences does not lead to workplace situations becoming unpleasant.

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 50, paragraph 15.17 of the Army Sexual Harassment report 2018, published by his Department in September 2018, what steps his Department is taking to encourage the reporting of upsetting experiences.

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 4, paragraph 10 of the Army Sexual Harassment report 2018, published by his Department in September 2018, what steps he is taking to encourage Servicemen to tell someone if they have had an upsetting experience involving targeted sexualised behaviours.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Sexual harassment affects both men and women and all personnel have the right to work in an environment which is free from discrimination and unacceptable behaviour of any form. They should be confident that any allegations will be taken very seriously and action will be taken to deal with it. The Army Misconduct Policy has been strengthened to make clear that obstructing a person who wishes to make either a formal or informal complaint of Bullying Harassment or Discrimination will be treated as very serious misconduct. All personnel receive annual Respect for Others and Values and Standards training which make clear what unacceptable behaviour is and how to report it. This includes to the Army’s confidential Unacceptable Behaviours Helpline (Speak Out) and the Army Mediation Service. The Sexual Harassment Survey Action Plan, published alongside the Sexual Harassment Report 2018, will build on these initiatives.

Army: Sexual Harassment

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 58, paragraph 16.13 of the Army Sexual Harassment report 2018, published by his Department in September 2018, what steps he is taking to increase satisfaction rates of the complaints process.

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 5, paragraph 11 of the Army Sexual Harassment report 2018, published by his Department in September 2018, what steps he is taking to improve satisfaction rates of the outcome of investigations.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Army continues to build awareness of, and confidence in, the Service Complaints process through annual briefings and events to explain the process. This includes the message that we take all complaints seriously, that we encourage the Chain of Command to deal with them at lowest appropriate level and that we hold to account those who are found to be culpable. Personnel are also made aware of the role of the Service Complaints Ombudsman to review the handling of complaints if anyone is dissatisfied with the way it was investigated or its outcome.The Army Misconduct Policy has been strengthened to make clear that obstructing a person who wishes to make either a formal or informal complaint of bullying, harassment or discrimination will be treated as very serious misconduct. This change is designed to ensure that there are concrete protections laid out in procedure for those who wish to make a complaint but believe they may be obstructed in doing so.

Army: Sexual Harassment

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Army Sexual Harassment report 2018, page 4, paragraph 9, published by his Department in September 2018, what steps he is taking to tackle the rise in the number of Servicewomen who have had an experience involving targeted sexualised behaviours.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Ministry of Defence and the Army are committed to preventing sexual harassment and making very clear that unacceptable behaviour of any kind will not be tolerated and action will be taken against anyone found to be engaging in such behaviour.The Army Sexual Harassment Survey follows the previous 2015 survey and the Army has already committed to repeating it again in 2021, underlining its commitment to improving behaviours and openly holding itself to account against the highest standards. The Army's Action Plan for addressing the issues raised by the survey can be found at the link below. This sets out some of the steps being taken including increased education and training, reviewing and simplifying reporting processes and further enhancing the support available to those who have experienced sexual harassment.The Army Misconduct Policy has been strengthened to make clear that obstructing a person who wishes to make either a formal or informal complaint of Bullying Harassment or Discrimination will be treated as very serious misconduct. All personnel receive annual Respect for Others and Values and Standards training which make clear what unacceptable behaviour is and how to report it. A comprehensive communications plan has already been delivered through leaflets and posters centred on the issues of consent and behaviours in the workplace. In addition, the Army has a training package based on the BBC 3 documentary "Is this Rape - Sex on Trial" that is widely delivered. All personnel are made aware that they can report any allegations to the Army's confidential Unacceptable Behaviours Helpline (Speak Out) and the Army Mediation Service and that they can submit a Service Complaint.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/army-sexual-harassment-report-and-action-plan-2018

Army: Sexual Harassment

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 3, paragraph 4 of the Army Sexual Harassment report 2018, published by his Department in September 2018,  what steps he is taking to increase the number responses from Servicewomen.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Army seeks to maximise response rates for all important surveys. The Army will consider further ways to increase the response rate for the 2021 survey.

Armed Forces: Suicide

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many serving Armed Forces personnel have committed suicide in the last (a) month, (b) two months, (c) six months, (d) year and (e) two years; and in which service branches those suicides occurred.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Ministry of Defence publishes annual statistics on the rates of suicide amongst Serving personnel annually and the rates for the period 1 January 1984 to 31 December 2107, published on 27 March 2018, can be found at the following address: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/694148/20180327-UK_AF_Suicide_ National_Statistic_2018 _O.pdf. The following provides a breakdown of coroner confirmed suicide and open verdict deaths (in line with the definition used by the Office for National Statistics) by month and Service from 1 October 2016 to 30 September 2018 (the last full month available) as requested. It should be noted that the numbers presented may change when outstanding coroner verdicts are returned on deaths that have occurred since 1 October 2016. In September 2018 (the last full month available) there were no coroner confirmed suicide or open verdict deaths. In August and September 2018 (the last full two months available) there were no coroner confirmed suicide or open verdict deaths.  From 1 April 2018 to 30 September 2018 (the last full six months available) there were no coroner confirmed suicide or open verdict deaths. From 1 October 2017 to 30 September 2018 (the last full 12 months available) there were four coroner confirmed suicide or open verdict deaths. Three personnel were from the Army and one from the RAF. From 1 October 2016 to 30 September 2018 (the last full 24 months available) there were 13 coroner confirmed suicide or open verdict deaths. Three personnel were from the Naval Service[1], nine from the Army and one from the RAF. Suicide among members of the Armed Forces remains extremely rare and is generally lower than comparative rates in the civilian population.[1] Royal Navy and Royal Marines

Uganda: Military Aid

Dr Paul Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what military support the Government provides to Uganda.

Mark Lancaster: The majority of UK military support to Uganda is training to prepare Ugandan troops for duty in the African Union Mission to Somalia, which includes training officer cadets at Sandhurst and senior officers at the UK Defence Academy. In addition, we train officers from Uganda and other countries for future peace support operations by the Eastern Africa Standby Force. We also provide legal and staff training to the Ugandan People's Defence Force, and have been supporting the Ugandan Wildlife Authority and Ugandan Police Force in their work to combat the illegal wildlife trade, by providing training and secure facilities for weapons and recovered animal products. In partnership with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the Czech Republic and others we have also funded and delivered training for Uganda and other East African Community countries on chemical risk assessment and response planning. All of our support emphasises the importance of professional forces operating within the framework of international law and, wherever appropriate, our training includes elements of International Humanitarian Law, Law of Armed Conflict, and Women, Peace and Security.

Air Force: Military Aid

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Royal Air Force trains pilots on behalf of other countries.

Mark Lancaster: Yes.

World War II: Military Decorations

Conor McGinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Arctic Stars his Department has awarded since the medal was struck in 2010; and in which country each recipient resided.

Mark Lancaster: The Arctic Star was instituted by Her Majesty's Government in 2012. Since this time 18,756 have been issued. A breakdown of the countries in which the recipients resided can be found below:  Australia487Malaysia1Austria2Malta14Bahamas1New Zealand170Belgium9Norway2Bermuda3Poland1Canada444Portugal4Cayman Islands2Republic of Ireland41Channel Islands42Singapore1Cyprus8South Africa25Denmark2Spain34France53Sweden4Germany4Switzerland6Hong Kong1Thailand2Isle of Man38The Netherlands9Italy3UK17,259Luxembourg1USA82Zimbabwe1

Armed Forces: Northern Ireland

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people serving in the armed forces are from Northern Ireland.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: This information is not held in the format requested.

Veterans

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what guidance his Department provides to departing military personnel on how to adapt to civilian life.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Ministry of Defence's (MOD) resettlement provision is designed to help personnel leaving the Armed Forces prepare to make a successful transition to civilian employment, or achieve the wider vocational outcome they seek. The provision entitles all Service Leavers to access Career Transition Partnership (CTP) Services which teaches our highly talented Service Leavers how to articulate their transferable skills.CTP provides guidance to Service Leavers in their transition from military to civilian life through a range of career and employment support services including skills development workshops, seminars, resettlement training advice, vocational training courses, career consultancy, one-to-one sessions and job finding support.In 2016-17, the MOD offered resettlement support to the 14,982 Service Leavers departing the UK Armed Forces and around 82% of those who used CTP services were in full-time employment six months after discharge. Over the last 20 years, CTP has supported over a quarter of a million Service Leavers, including those who left Regular Service, those who were medically discharged and those who were made redundant during four redundancy tranches.

Armed Forces: Schools

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many school visits were carried out by military personnel promoting a career in the armed forces in the academic year 2017-18.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: No visits to schools by the Armed Forces are directly linked to recruitment, other than specific careers/jobs fairs which generally involve a range of employers.The Armed Forces only visit when they have been invited by a school to support activities. While presentations may be given highlighting the careers available in the Armed Forces, no pupil is ever signed up or able to make a commitment to become a recruit in the Armed Forces during the course of a visit. The visits cover a range of activities such as career events, citizenship talks, science and maths challenges and other indoor or outdoor exercises. The purpose of the visit is always agreed in advance.In the academic year 2017-18, centrally held records indicate that the Navy conducted an estimated 3,240 school visits and the Army carried out 4,710 visits. Records held by the Royal Air Force (RAF) indicate that in the period 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018 the RAF visited 2,310 schools.

Veterans: Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department provides counselling for ex-military personnel who have suffered PTSD as a result of their time in service.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: For some veterans in Northern Ireland the bespoke Ulster Defence Regiment and Royal Irish Aftercare Service can provide access to psychological therapies where appropriate treatment is not available through normal statutory services (NHS) within a reasonable time.The NHS in England and the Devolved Administrations are responsible for the provision of healthcare, including mental healthcare, for veterans. Veterans in England, Scotland and Wales receive priority access to NHS secondary care for Service related conditions, subject to the clinical need of all patients. The Ministry of Defence also provides support through its Departments of Community Mental Health, and the Veterans and Reserves Mental Health Programme.In England, veterans and Service personnel approaching discharge benefit from the NHS England Veterans Mental Health Transition, Intervention and Liaison Service (VMH TILs) which increases access to appropriate and timely mental health services. In April 2018 NHS England launched the Veterans Mental Health Complex Treatment Service (VMH CTS) which provides an enhanced service for veterans who have military-attributable complex mental health problems, including PTSD, that have not been resolved earlier in the care/support pathway. Access to the VMH CTS is via a single point of referral from the VMH TILS.Veterans can also access support services via:www.gov.uk/mental-health-support-for-the-uk-armed-forces or call the MOD's Veterans UK helpline on 0808 1914 2 18, Combat Stress 24-hour veterans' mental health helpline on 0800 138 1619 or the Veterans Gateway:https://www.veteransgateway.org.uk/

Army: Officers

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many places have been available for senior Non-Commissioned Officers and Warrant Officers on the Late Entry Officers Course at Sandhurst in each of the last five years.

Mark Lancaster: The number of places available for senior Non-Commissioned Officers and Warrant Officers on the Late Entry Officers Course at Sandhurst in each of the last five years is shown below: Financial YearCourse places2013-142402014-152402015-162402016-172722017-18282  Please note that these figures are single service estimates and are not official statistics produced by Defence Statistics.

Veterans: National Service

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to provide support for national service veterans to attend remembrance events.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: All veterans, including National Service veterans, are able to arrange attendance at remembrance events through their local branch of the Royal British Legion. For this year's Remembrance Day, the National Service Veterans Alliance have registered a group with The Royal British Legion at the Cenotaph to take part in the Remembrance Sunday Service and participate in the march past.

Scotland Office

Scotland Office: Brexit

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the Written Statement of 13 March 2018 on Spring Statement, HCWS540, how much of that funding he has allocated to (a) programmes, (b) administration and (c) staffing in his Department.

David Mundell: HM Treasury has allocated over £2 billion of additional funding to departments and the Devolved Administrations for EU exit preparations so far. This breaks down as: £412m of additional funding over the spending review period for the Department for Exiting the European Union, Department for International Trade and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office at Autumn Statement 2016. £286m of additional funding for 17/18 (a full breakdown of which can be found in Supplementary Estimates 17/18).https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/679738/PU2137_Supplementary_estimates_web.pdf. Over £1.5bn of additional funding for 18/19. A full breakdown of which can be found in the Chief Secretary’s Written Ministerial Statement, HCWS540, laid on 13 March.https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-03-13/HCWS540/ Scotland Office and Office of the Advocate General was allocated £0.3m for costs arising as the UK leave the EU in the Spring Statement 2018. The final breakdown between programme and administration spend will be confirmed in the Supplementary Estimates. All the additional funding being provided to my department is to be allocated to staffing.

Devolution: Northern Ireland and Scotland

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the answer of 14 September 2018 to Question 169528, on Devolution: Northern Ireland and Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on (a) the benefits of the devolution of energy production and supply to the Northern Ireland Assembly and (b) the potential benefits to Scotland of similar such devolved powers.

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the answer of 14 September 2018 to Question 169528, on Devolution: Northern Ireland and Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on (a) the benefits of the devolution of employment law to the Northern Ireland Assembly and (b) the potential benefits to Scotland of similar such devolved powers.

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the answer of 14 September 2018 to Question 169528, on Devolution: Northern Ireland and Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on (a) the benefits of the devolution of all social security to the Northern Ireland Assembly and (b) the potential benefits to Scotland of similar such devolved powers.

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the answer of 14 September 2018 to Question 169528, on Devolution: Northern Ireland and Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on (a) the benefits of the devolution of all child support to the Northern Ireland Assembly and (b) the potential benefits to Scotland of similar such devolved powers.

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the answer of 14 September 2018 to Question 169528, on Devolution: Northern Ireland and Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on (a) the benefits of the devolution of all pensions responsibility to the Northern Ireland Assembly and (b) the potential benefits to Scotland of similar such devolved powers.

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the answer of 14 September 2018 to Question 169528, on Devolution: Northern Ireland and Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on (a) the benefits of the devolution of responsibility for the Civil Service to the Northern Ireland Assembly and (b) the potential benefits to Scotland of similar such devolved powers.

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the answer of 14 September 2018 to Question 169528, on Devolution: Northern Ireland and Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on (a) the benefits of the devolution of all equal opportunities responsibility to the Northern Ireland Assembly and (b) the potential benefits to Scotland of similar such devolved powers.

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the answer of 14 September 2018 to Question 169528, on Devolution: Northern Ireland and Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on (a) the benefits of the devolution of responsibility for time (for example timescales, time zones and the subject-matter of the Summer Time Act 1972) to the Northern Ireland Assembly and (b) the potential benefits to Scotland of similar such devolved powers.

David Mundell: The devolution settlements for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are each unique and areas that are devolved in one part of the UK may not be devolved in another. This reflects the history and development of the different devolution settlements across the UK. The Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland and Wales and I work closely together to ensure that these settlements work for the people of the various parts of the UK. In 2014, the Smith Commission considered in great depth what new powers should be devolved to the Scottish Parliament, and the report was agreed by all five of Scotland’s main political parties. The Scotland Act 2016 delivers on the Smith Commission Agreement in full, and we are committed to implementing the Act. The Scottish devolution settlement strikes the right balance for Scotland and now is not the time to reopen this issue.

Whisky: Scotland

Douglas Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what estimate he has made of the level of investment of the Scotch whisky industry in the Scottish economy in the last five years.

David Mundell: Scotland's whisky industry plays a vital role in the Scottish economy. Scotland is home to 128 malt and grain distilleries, making it the greatest concentration of whisky producers in the world. In 2017, the value of Scotch whisky exports reached a record £4.37 billion and accounts for 14% of all Scottish international exports. The Moray area, which includes most of what is considered Speyside, has the highest intensity of distilling related firms, with a quarter of Scottish distilling activity based there.

Scotland Office: Food

Hugh Gaffney: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he has had discussions with the Minister for Food Supplies.

David Mundell: Both the Parliamentary Under–Secretary of State and I are in regular contact with ministerial colleagues from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on a wide range of issues.

Department for International Trade

Overseas Trade: China

Giles Watling: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent discussions he has had on trade and investment with the Government of China.

Graham Stuart: On 23-24 August 2018, my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade visited Beijing for the 13th UK-China Joint Economic and Trade Commission (JETCO), this was his 4th visit to China and he will visit again in November for the China International Import Expo (CIIE). During the JETCO, he had discussions with Co-Chair Commerce Minister Zhong Shan and Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua, China’s top leader covering trade. On this visit, he met with ministerial level contacts from China Atomic Energy Authority, the State Radio and Television Administration and General Administration of Customs, securing market access for UK products using dairy ingredients sourced from outside the UK, worth £240m over five years. Additionally, he signed a protocol allowing the export of seed potatoes to China (the world’s largest consumer of potatoes). Total trade in goods and services between the UK and China was £65.1bn in year to end 2018 Q2, a 1.2% increase from year to end 2017 Q2. In year to end 2018 Q2, UK exports to China amounted to £21.7bn (a 7.5% increase from year to end 2017 Q2) while UK imports from China were £43.4bn (a 1.7% decrease from year to end 2017 Q2).This means the UK reported a trade deficit with China of £21.7bn, compared to a trade deficit of £23.9bn in year to end 2017 Q2.

Department for International Trade: Brexit

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Written Statement of 13 March 2018 on Spring Statement, HCWS540, how much of that funding he has allocated to (a) programmes, (b) administration and (c) staffing in his Department.

George Hollingbery: HM Treasury has allocated over £2 billion of additional funding to departments and the Devolved Administrations for EU exit preparations so far. This breaks down as: £412m of additional funding over the spending review period for the Department for Exiting the European Union, Department for International Trade and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office at Autumn Statement 2016. £286m of additional funding for 17/18 (a full breakdown of which can be found in Supplementary Estimates 17/18).https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/679738/PU2137_Supplementary_estimates_web.pdf. Over £1.5bn of additional funding for 18/19. A full breakdown of which can be found in the Chief Secretary’s Written Ministerial Statement, HCWS540, laid on the 13th March (https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-03-13/HCWS540/) The Department for International Trade was allocated £74m for costs arising as the UK leaves the EU in the Spring Statement 2018. The final breakdown between programme and administration spend will be confirmed in the Supplementary Estimates.

Overseas Trade: Burma

Chris Law: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what official advice his Department provides to firms on doing business with Burmese military-owned and controlled companies.

Graham Stuart: Holding answer received on 11 October 2018



The Department for International Trade (DIT) helps businesses export, drives investment and champions free trade. DIT’s team in Burma supports UK companies in doing business with Burma. On informing any British business of the challenges of operating in Burma, DIT staff explain that the export of goods or services to the Burmese military is governed by the EU arms embargo with Burma. The UK was instrumental in the tightening of these regulations. The British government supports the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business which provides practical advice to UK companies seeking to do responsible, sustainable and transparent business in Burma.

Dumping: Ceramics

Gareth Snell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps he is taking to ensure that anti-dumping measures for ceramic tableware are not withdrawn when the UK leaves the EU.

George Hollingbery: On 24 July 2018, the Government published the provisional findings of the trade remedies call for evidence into which existing EU trade remedy measures will be transitioned. The provisional findings from this indicate the existing measures on ceramic tableware will be maintained when the UK leaves the EU. The Government is aiming to publish the final report before the end of 2018.

Whisky: Exports

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the Scotch whisky industry on increasing exports of Scotch whisky; if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of recent steps taken by that industry to increase such exports; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans the Government has to support companies exporting Scotch whisky; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will make an assessment of the contribution of the Scotch whisky industry to the international reputation of the UK food and drink industry; and if he will make a statement.

Graham Stuart: Scotch Whisky is an important part of the UK’s overall exports, representing 20% of UK food and drink exports. Ministers and officials from this department have regular discussions with the Scotch Whisky Association and other representatives from the industry and actively work with them to help increase whisky exports. Representatives of the Scotch Whisky Association recently joined business delegations to Africa and India led by the Prime Minister. The industry is supported in a similar way to other food and drink producers; we help them take advantage of a wide range of overseas opportunities. The importance of the industry to the UK economy cannot be overstated, being the largest export within the sector with international sales valued at over £4 billion in 2017.

BRICS Summit

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether representatives of his Department attended the 2017 BRICS summit in Xiamen.

Graham Stuart: The BRICS summit is an annual meeting for the five member countries aimed at facilitating global political and economic transformation. These countries are Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. No G7 nations attend this summit. No representatives of the Department for International Trade attended the 2017 BRICS summit in Xiamen.

Animal Experiments: China

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions he has had with his Chinese counterpart on ending unnecessary ad hoc cosmetics testing on animals by Chinese authorities on shipments of cosmetic products imported into China.

Graham Stuart: My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade discussed the issue of the mandatory requirement for animal testing for imported non-special use cosmetics products into China, with the Chinese government, during the Joint Economic and Trade Commission (JETCO) in August 2018. In addition, HM Ambassador to China has also discussed the matter with the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR). In the JETCO the two governments agreed to work towards ensuring British cosmetics companies receive equal treatment to domestic manufacturers, specifically concerning the requirement to test on animals.

Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-pacific Partnership

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, when he plans to publish his response to his consultation with business on the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

George Hollingbery: The Department’s public consultations on the UK’s potential accession to CPTPP, alongside plans for new bilateral free trade agreements with Australia, New Zealand and the US, will close on the 26th of October 2018. The Department is putting in place the appropriate mechanisms to ensure that due consideration is given to responses, so that they effectively inform our overall approach to negotiations with partner countries. The Department plans to publish responses to all four consultations before entering into any formal free trade agreement negotiations.

Antidumping Duties: Aluminium

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps he is taking to ensure that anti-dumping duties on aluminium foil are maintained when the UK leaves the EU.

George Hollingbery: On 24 July 2018, the government published the provisional findings of the trade remedies call for evidence into which existing EU measures will be transitioned. The provisional findings from business indicate the measures on aluminium foil will be terminated when the UK leaves the EU. No UK producer responded to the call for evidence.https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/call-for-evidence-to-identify-uk-interest-in-existing-eu-trade-remedy-measuresSince then, interested parties were invited to provide further information which may affect these findings. The government is currently considering additional information from industry, and aims to publish a final report before the end of 2018.

Food: Trade

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the (a)(i) validity of cases brought before the WTO dispute resolution mechanism to which the EU has been the respondent which relate to food standards and (ii) proportionality of the EU's response to those cases in the last 10 years and (b) the potential for the UK to face similar disputes in the event that it maintains the same food standards after leaving the EU.

George Hollingbery: The European Commission was responsible for responding to the WTO disputes relating to food standards, including contesting the validity of the challenge where appropriate, and developing a proportionate response. The EU will continue to act on the UK’s behalf in WTO disputes while we remain a Member State. The UK, through its membership of the EU has supported WTO actions taken by the European Commission. The UK supports the global-rules based system and recognises the importance of complying with WTO rules. We recognise the importance of all our actions being WTO compliant. My officials are looking at where potential disputes could arise, including reviewing case law, to help us prepare for any potential future disputes across a range of issues. We are currently building our capability to conduct international trade disputes independently after we leave the EU. We will be ready to protect UK interests and to defend any disputes brought against us.

Arms Trade: Saudi Arabia

Darren Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will take steps to limit arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

Graham Stuart: The Government takes its export control responsibilities very seriously and our processes have been subject to judicial scrutiny. Export licence applications are carefully assessed against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. A licence would not be granted if to do so was inconsistent with the Criteria. The policy remains as announced to parliament in a Written Ministerial Statement on 25 March 2014: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140325/wmstext/140325m0001.htm#14032566000018. The key test for the Government for our continued military exports to Saudi Arabia in relation to International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is whether there is a clear risk that those items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of IHL. The situation is kept under careful and continual review.

Trade Promotion

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what process is in place to assess the (a) performance and (b) value for money of the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys.

Graham Stuart: Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys are asked to report back to my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade after each visit they undertake in the role. The Department for International Trade teams based in the Trade Envoy markets, also collate any business successes the Trade Envoys have been involved with, which is reported back on a quarterly basis. As appointees of the Prime Minister, Trade Envoys have been instrumental in helping the UK secure business in their markets, as well as lobbying to remove specific barriers affecting trade.

Women and Equalities

Females: Equality

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what resources she has allocated to Government Department's to ensure that they have the technical capacity to implement Sustainable Development Goal 5.

Victoria Atkins: I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave on 28 June 2018 in relation to question 157230.

Females: Equality

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if his Department will collect data from (a) vulnerable and (b) marginalised groups in any assessment of the progress made on implementing Sustainable Development Goal 5 for the Voluntary National Review in 2019.

Victoria Atkins: The Government will be drawing on various sources to collect data and information, and will ensure that a wide range of partners and stakeholders have an opportunity to contribute to the review, including through the Voluntary National Review website that the Government launched on 8 October 2018.

Females: Equality

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what meetings she plans to hold with representatives of civic society  in relation to progress on implementing Sustainable Development Goal 5 for the Voluntary National Review in 2019.

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what consultations with the private sector her Department has held in relation to measuring progress on Sustainable Development Goal 5 for the Voluntary National Review in 2019.

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what consultations with local authorities her Department has undertaken in relation to the planned indicators to measure progress on Sustainable Development Goal 5 for the Voluntary National Review in 2019.

Victoria Atkins: This Government is committed to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, and we are one of the countries who pushed hard for a standalone Sustainable Development Goal on gender. Government policies promoting gender equality are developed in consultation with experts and interested groups. Good examples include, the consultations undertaken on the returners programmes and the gender pay gap regulations. We will continue engaging with gender equality experts, business, civil society organisations and local authorities to ensure we are making sufficient progress, including through the Voluntary National Review process.

Females: Equality

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what discussions she has had with representatives of the devolved administrations on those administrations' progress on the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 5; and how that progress will be measured for the Voluntary National Review in 2019.

Victoria Atkins: There are ongoing discussions with the devolved administrations to promote the development of domestic policy consistent with our commitments under Sustainable Development Goal 5 and to monitor progress.

Carers: Equal Pay

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of caring responsibilities on gender pay gaps.

Victoria Atkins: The Government is committed to addressing the gender pay gap. Evidence shows that one of the main drivers of the gender pay gap is the time taken out of the labour market by women to care for others.This Government has increased funded childcare provision and introduced flexible working and Shared Parental Leave policies to help men and women share caring responsibilities more equally. We have also invested £3.1m in research to help employers understand what works to close their gender pay gaps.In 2017, we committed £5 million to support people to return to paid work in the public and private sector. These returner programmes will support carers who have taken an extended career break. The Government has also published best practice guidance to help employers of all sizes and across sectors to increase the quantity and quality of work opportunities they offer returners.

Department for Transport

Department for Transport: Brexit

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Written Statement of 13 March 2018 on Spring Statement, HCWS540, how much of that funding he has allocated to (a) programmes, (b) administration and (c) staffing in his Department.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: For parts (a) and (b)HM Treasury has allocated over £2 billion of additional funding to departments and the Devolved Administrations for EU exit preparations so far. This breaks down as: £412m of additional funding over the spending review period for the Department for Exiting the European Union, Department for International Trade and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office at Autumn Statement 2016.£286m of additional funding for 17/18 (a full breakdown of which can be found in Supplementary Estimates 17/18).https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/679738/PU2137_Supplementary_estimates_web.pdf.Over £1.5bn of additional funding for 18/19. A full breakdown of which can be found in the Chief Secretary’s Written Ministerial Statement, HCWS540, laid on the 13th March (https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-03-13/HCWS540/)The Department for Transport was allocated £75.8m for costs arising as the UK leave the EU in the Spring Statement 2018. The final breakdown between programme and administration spend will be confirmed in the Supplementary Estimates. For part (c)The Department for Transport has allocated £9.5m to administration spending, which comprises of staffing and legal costs.

Cycling and Walking: Infrastructure

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many local authorities not receiving support from his Department to produce Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans are producing such plans.

Jesse Norman: The Department does not hold detailed records, but it is aware of a small number of authorities who are preparing Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) outside of the DfT support programme. It is a matter for local authorities, outside of the 46 supported by DfT, to decide how to take forward and apply the LCWIP process for their local area. However, the Department encourages all Local Authorities to follow the LCWIP guidance by taking a whole network approach to planning and prioritising schemes. All Local Transport Authorities are able to access a range of planning tools, such as the Propensity to Cycle Tool and can draw on the LCWIP technical guidance (launched in April 2017), which provides a step-by-step guide to planning a cycling and walking network and prioritising schemes for delivery.

Railways: Death

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people have been killed on the rail network in each of the last 10 years.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the age was of each person who suffered (a) an injury and (b) a fatality on the railways in each of the last 10 years; and what the cause of each such injury and fatality was.

Joseph Johnson: Official statistics relating to the annual numbers of injuries and fatalities on the mainline, London Underground and other light rail networks in Great Britain since 2002-03 are published by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) on their website at: https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/browsereports/5 These tables accompany an annual ORR statistical release. The latest publication (for 2017-18) can be found at the following address: http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/39103/rail-safety-statistics-2017-18.pdf Injury statistics published by the ORR for the mainline rail network are based on data collected by the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB). The ORR does not currently publish any further specific information on rail injuries by age or by cause.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost was of maintenance on the Strategic Road Network in each of the last 10 years.

Jesse Norman: The cost of maintenance of the Strategic Road Network for each of the last 10 years is shown below. This is as reported in the Highways Agency & Highways England’s Annual reports 2008/09 - £912 million2009/10 - £1,307 million2010/11 - £833 million2011/12 - £808 million2012/13 - £707 million2013/14 - £792 million2014/15 - £981 million2015/16 - £929 million2016/17 - £890 million2017/18 - £1,027 million

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the cost of all outstanding maintenance on the Strategic Road Network.

Jesse Norman: Highways England has been tasked and funded to deliver maintenance of the strategic road network as part of the Government’s Road Investment Strategy up to 2019/20. The total planned maintenance spend for 2018/19 and 2019/20 is £2.1billion. The Government and Highways England believe that this funding will keep the Strategic Road Network in a safe and serviceable condition over this period. The Office of Rail and Road’s most recent annual assessment of Highways England’s performance, for 2017/18, reports that Highways England has improved the condition of its road network during the year and it is meeting its target to have at least 95% of the network in a good condition.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of all outstanding pothole maintenance that is required.

Jesse Norman: The Department for Transport has made no assessment of all the outstanding pothole maintenance that is currently required. However, the Department is providing over £6 billion to local highway authorities between 2015 and 2021. This includes £296 million for a Pothole Action Fund to support authorities in repairing potholes and improving road condition.

Railways: Accidents

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, where (a) deaths and (b) injuries on the rail network occurred in each of the last 10 years.

Joseph Johnson: The independent safety regulator for Britain’s railways, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), is responsible for monitoring health and safety performance across the rail network. This includes collecting annual data on the number of fatalities and injuries on the rail network, wherever these should occur. Over the last 10 years, fatalities and injuries have been recorded on a number of parts of the network. These include stations and depots, at level crossings, at the trackside, on heritage railways, on tramways and on metro services such as London Underground.

Mersey Tunnels: Debts

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority on the repayment of debt on the Mersey Tunnels.

Jesse Norman: The management, operation and funding of the Mersey Tunnels is the responsibility of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. The Secretary of State has not held any recent discussions with the Combined Authority on the repayment of the debt associated with those Tunnels.

Railway Stations: Repairs and Maintenance

Neil O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which stations on the national rail network have had new canopies installed on their platforms in the last five years; and what the cost was of each of those new canopies.

Joseph Johnson: This an operational matter for Network Rail; the Department for Transport does not hold this information.

Roads: Safety

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the criteria are for allocating funds under the Safer Roads Fund.

Jesse Norman: As highlighted in my June Written Ministerial Statement, the Department has invested £100 million to improve the 50 most dangerous stretches of ‘A’ roads in England. The roads chosen for funding were based on Road Safety Foundation analysis, the key components of which were the number of people killed or seriously injured, the traffic flow of the road and the likelihood of future collisions based on the characteristics of the road.

Electric Vehicles: Bicycles

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment (a) the Office of Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) and (b) his Department has made of the potential merits of extending the scope of OLEV grants to include support for converting from a conventional car or van to an electronic bike or e-cargo bike.

Jesse Norman: At the International Zero Emission Vehicle Summit in September, the Government announced that it would provide up to £2 million of support for e-cargo bikes. This followed a call for evidence on how the Government could best harness the opportunities for greener delivery in our towns and cities. The funding will contribute 20% of the purchase price of new e-cargo bikes up to the first £5,000 of any purchase price. This gives a maximum grant of £1,000 per bike, regardless of the purchase price of the bike. Funding will be conditional on individual businesses following a code of cycle safety good practice and will be split between larger fleets and smaller operators to ensure benefits are available to and spread between all sizes of business. Replacing traditional last mile delivery vehicles with electric delivery bikes can help towards cutting traffic, reducing congestion and cleaning up our air.

Motorcycles: Noise

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to introduce lower limits on the amount of noise made by motorcycles; and if he will make a statement.

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to (a) alter and (b) retain EU Regulations on vehicle noise after the UK leave the EU.

Jesse Norman: The Department for Transport takes the issue of vehicle noise very seriously. The noise standards for motorcycles are harmonised at an international level and the European Commission has plans to introduce revised limits on the sound level of motorcycles in 2020. Continued alignment after the UK has left the EU will be dependent on the decisions of future Parliaments.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Antoinette Sandbach: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 9 May 2018 to Question 140171 on High Speed 2, how many (a) targeted workshops and (b) surgery sessions HS2 Ltd has undertaken since 9 May 2018.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: No targeted workshops or surgery sessions have been held specifically on the HS2 Need to Sell (NTS) scheme since 9 May 2018. Guidance has been given on all HS2 property support schemes – including the NTS scheme - at general HS2 events. This includes over thirty public information events held by HS2 Ltd across the Phase 2b route during June and July this year. In addition, two land and property focused surgeries were held by HS2 Ltd in the Whitmore area on 15 August and 15 September. Individual sessions with residents were held, which included discussion on land and property compensation scheme options. HS2 Ltd continues to consider areas of the route which may benefit from targeted workshops and surgery sessions on the NTS scheme where acceptance rates are lower than average.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Antoinette Sandbach: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 7 February 2018 to Question 126104 on High Speed 2, what progress has been made on the introduction of the prolonged disturbance compensation scheme and; if he will make a statement.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: HS2 Ltd have developed proposals for the Prolonged Disturbance Compensation Scheme, for those who are likely to be particularly affected by HS2 construction work. These proposals were shared with local authorities in February 2018 and with local communities in June-July 2018 by way of engagement workshops held across the Phase One line of route. HS2 Ltd are reviewing the draft scheme in light of feedback received in response to the community and local authority engagement. The intention is to launch the scheme as soon as practicable.

Taxis: Minimum Wage

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing legislation granting licensing authorities a statutory basis for creating minimum wage thresholds for drivers within the licensing criteria for private hire operators.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: At a Westminster Hall Debate last year, the Rt Hon John Hayes MP announced the formation of a Task and Finish group to consider any taxi and private hire regulatory issues, their causes and potential remedies. The Group’s report was published on 24 September and it includes a chapter on industry working conditions. The Government response to the report will be published in due course.

Cars: Electronic Equipment

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to require electronic devices used by car passengers to be securely fixed to prevent injury, harm or death.

Jesse Norman: There are currently no plans to make it a mandatory requirement for electronic devices used by car passengers to be fixed to the vehicle. It is a legal requirement for drivers to ensure that their vision is not obscured or their control of the vehicle affected, including by electronic devices.

Manchester-sheffield Railway Line

Jared O'Mara: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Hope Valley Capacity Scheme, whether Network Rail has plans to make available increased capacity to provide additional diversionary routes during the TransPennine upgrade.

Joseph Johnson: The use of the additional capacity created by the Hope Valley Capacity scheme will be determined by the franchise specifier, the Rail North Partnership. Diversionary routes for the proposed Transpennine Route Upgrade will be part of the next phase of planning once the scope is agreed.

A34: Oxfordshire

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps he has taken to improve safety on the A34 in Oxfordshire.

Jesse Norman: Highways England propose to introduce CCTV cameras and driver information systems at several locations along the A34 between the M4 and the M40. They will also be installing “vehicle detection loops”. These are loops in the road that detect when traffic is building up or slowing down. Highways England expect to make their recommendations to DfT for a further package of safety improvements on the A34 shortly.

Boating: Accidents

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 September 2018 to Question 170303 on Boating: Accidents, if he will publish the data held by the Department on the number of incidents involving a fatality where alcohol was believed to be a factor.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: Since January 2016, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has recorded data taken from Coroners’ Reports that are in the public domain about boating accidents involving a fatality and where the Coroner has concluded that alcohol was a factor. Figures held by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency are as per table below  Total Number of Boating FatalitiesThose Involving Alcohol201681201785 No figures are yet available from Coroners’ for 2018.

Electric Vehicles: Sandwell

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information he holds on the number of plug-in vehicles registered in the borough of Sandwell.

Jesse Norman: At the end of June 2018, there were 244 plug-in ultra low emission cars, light goods vehicles and quadricycles registered to an address in the borough of Sandwell.

Speed Limits: Dual Carriageways and Motorways

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on national productivity of increasing the speed limit for vehicles on motorways and dual carriageways.

Jesse Norman: Any change to the speed limit would require a detailed assessment of its wider potential safety, environmental, economic and other impacts. A previous Government made an initial assessment of the possibility of introducing trials of 80 mph limits. This Government currently has no plans to do so.

Department for Transport: Brexit

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to replicate the accessibility standards contained in the EU's European Accessibility Bill after the UK leaves the EU.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: After the UK leaves the EU, the Government will ensure that the UK’s own legislative framework continues to promote and protect the rights of disabled people. The precise extent to which the UK accepts the specific provisions set out in the European Accessibility Act will be subject to negotiations on the UK’s Future Economic Partnership with the European Union.

Electric Vehicles: Finance

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure electric vehicles are financially attractive to (a) fleet operators and (b) consumers.

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that electric vehicles are affordable to (a) fleet operators and (b) consumers.

Jesse Norman: The Government has several plug-in grant funding schemes in place to assist with the cost of purchasing ultra low emission cars, vans and taxis; which both fleet operators and consumers can take advantage of. We have now supported over 160,000 ultra low emission vehicles onto Britain’s roads since the plug in car grant began in 2011 and further vehicles will be supported. Ultra low emission vehicles also benefit from a favourable tax regime. Company car tax is explicitly designed to make it more attractive for employers and employees to choose cars which emit the lowest levels of CO2. As a result, users of these vehicles have lower company car tax rates in comparison to conventionally fuelled cars.

Northern: Yorkshire and the Humber

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps his Department has taken to help tackle delays on Northern Rail services in Yorkshire.

Joseph Johnson: We are working closely with Transport for the North, Northern and TransPennine Express to continue to improve services across the North of England. To support this, Richard George, the former head of transport at the London 2012 Olympic Games, is working with the industry and Transport for the North to look at underlying performance issues across the north.

Cycling: Accidents

Paul Girvan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many and what proportion of cyclists killed in a road traffic collision were not wearing a safety helmet.

Jesse Norman: The table below provides figures for 2017 for Great Britain on the number of pedal cyclist fatalities who were wearing a helmet, not wearing a helmet, and where helmet status was not known. This table shows that more than a half (58%) of pedal cyclist fatalities with helmet status known were not wearing one. These statistics do not show whether the helmet was worn correctly, when worn.   Number and proportion of pedal cyclist fatalities by helmet worn, Great Britain: 2017Number of pedal cyclist fatalities Helmet worn1Helmet not wornNot known2Proportion of cyclist fatalities not wearing a helmet where known27373758%1. These statistics do not indicate whether the helmet was worn correctly when worn.2. Includes pedal cycle fatalities for police forces which did not provide any data on helmet worn or not worn for their pedal cyclist fatalities in 2017. In 2017, there were 27 police forces providing data on whether helmet was worn for reported pedal cyclist fatalities.Source: DfT STATS19

Driving: Licensing

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will take steps to waive the fee for a replacement driving licence in cases where the applicant has been a victim of crime.

Jesse Norman: The current driving licence fees were introduced after a public consultation and regulatory change in 2014. The driver licensing system is self-financing and the fees are set in law to cover the costs of issuing a driving licence. If there was no charge applied where a licence was stolen the cost would have to be met by taxpayers in general or other driving licence holders. While the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency does issue driving licences at no cost for changes of address and at the age of 70 and over to encourage compliance there are no plans to waive the fee for a replacement driving licence in cases where the applicant has been a victim of crime.

Driving: Licensing

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many full Group 1 driving licenses were held in each of the last five years.

Jesse Norman: Information on the number of driving licences held in Great Britain in each of the last five years can be found at: http://data.gov.uk/dataset/driving-licence-data.

Driving: Visual Impairment

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people received penalty points for driving with uncorrected defective eyesight in each of the last five years.

Jesse Norman: In the last four years, 42 drivers received penalty points for the offence of driving with uncorrected defective eyesight. The table below shows the number of offences in each of the last four years. Most penalty points are removed from the driver’s record after four years, therefore information from 2013 is not available. YearTotal2014120152220161220177

Driving: Eyesight

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people received penalty points for refusing to submit to an eyesight test in each of the last five years.

Jesse Norman: The number of drivers who received penalty points for refusing to submit to an eyesight test in each of the last four years is shown in the table below. Most penalty points are removed from the driver’s record after four years, therefore information from 2013 is not available. YearTotal20140201502016120171

Driving: Licensing

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many Group 1 driving licences have been revoked for eyesight related conditions by age in each of the last five years.

Jesse Norman: The information held at Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency does not differentiate between the driving licences that have been refused and those that have been revoked. The number of Group 1 licences that have been refused or revoked for eyesight related conditions by age in each of the last five years is shown in the table below: Age 2017201620152014201315100001613171391117848084786818747972746519584559507820444560505321385440493922445334394323543828394824374239493925464647414926314637453827384232454428393235354029333940274530382932284531344226354932343430443533234436314434303730343535253939363436393626473437313830282538252331462439385533292340283737373241262837422942363735423643284342474144313750444145394141585946473524525447394050524748435652386149645045454650456460664551526451624752435146585653556369564354676549375055627169566656635761635857536871626658556156574659755059605260617474687061526469565962647758616663595668626464526073715865657171628966618590869667808310911078688210211798936945345527117621270202210270302243719311311612195722782842301572017320121829626124774125131104111124752352612301932627617224234236929177130135148136154782673102532092637921127537137930580150180182150142812793192272072368227728634242032283144147159170134842432672061562108519626234130724786121138154123113871831931191101538815019819822919589719567888290951168061669173919910379923538413439933027412331942436333389514157110961084210971086349832112991100010001111101010001020000010302000Total6,9547,7897,6057,3427,127

Bicycles and Motorcycles: Insurance

Alex Chalk: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what provisions there are in statute for the insurance of food delivery (a) bicycle and (b) motorbike riders.

Jesse Norman: There is no statutory requirement for delivery cyclists or for pedal cyclists in general to have compulsory insurance, and the Government has no current plans to mandate such a requirement. Motorbike riders require motor third party liability insurance under section 143 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 It is, however, compulsory for employers to take out liability insurance to protect employees where they suffer injury or loss arising from their employment. Various ‘insuretech’ businesses have also arisen in recent years offering pay-as-you-go hourly insurance, which provides personal accident and liability cover for food delivery workers (public liability for pedal cyclists and compulsory motor insurance for scooter or motorbike riders).

Birmingham Airport

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of plans to expand Birmingham Airport; and if he will make a statement.

Jesse Norman: No assessment has been made. The Department understands that Birmingham Airport’s plans to expand its current premises would be within the current boundaries of the airport site. Any planning application would be for Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council’s planning committee to consider.

Roads: Horse Riding

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on road (a) safety and (b) regulations for horse riders in (i) Coventry and (ii) the West Midlands; and if he will make a statement.

Jesse Norman: Horse riders are already protected in law with applicable offences for drivers such as driving dangerously, driving without due care and attention and driving without reasonable consideration for other road users. This is set out in the Highway Code along with advice on being aware of horse riders and allowing adequate distance when passing them. The Department is aware that not all road users follow the rules on safe overtaking and so on 12 August 2018 I announced that the Department would be reviewing the advice in the Highway Code in relation to overtaking vulnerable road users, including horse riders.

Public Transport: Crimes of Violence

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the number of assaults on (a) staff and (b) customers on public transport in 2017-18.

Joseph Johnson: Crimes on the railway are recorded by British Transport Police (BTP). The Department does not hold information on other forms of public transport. On the railways, offences recorded by BTP in the category of violence against the person in 2017/18 amounted to:Staff 2,699Customers 7,248

London-Brighton Railway Line: Fares

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress his Department has made on simplifying the fare structure for rail services on the Brighton main line.

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to publish the results of his Department's work on simplifying the fare structure for rail services on the Brighton main line.

Joseph Johnson: The Department is keen to ensure that passengers can access the fares that are most appropriate for their needs. The Department remains committed to developing and considering options to simplify the Brighton Main Line fares structure, and this work is ongoing.

Liverpool Port: Exhaust Emissions

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps Highways England is taking to reduce roadside emissions near the Port of Liverpool.

Jesse Norman: Highways England are currently completing a review of a road link at the A59 / M57 / M58 junction, where an exceedance of the annual mean nitrogen dioxide limit value set by the Air Quality Directive (2008/50/EC) has been identified, to investigate whether there are steps they could take to improve air quality. In addition, the proposed A5036 Access to the Port of Liverpool scheme seeks to improve traffic conditions on the A5036 between the port and motorway network, which should improve air quality on the existing roads.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Yemen: Armed Conflict

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Emirati counterpart on the conflict in Yemen.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign Secretary met his Emirati counterpart in a meeting of the Yemen Quad on 27 September at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. He urged his counterpart to seize the opportunity for political progress. The Emirati Foreign Minister underlined his complete support for the UN process led by Special Envoy Martin Griffiths. They discussed the destabilising effect of Iran on Yemen and the wider region, how to put in place confidence-building measures following the breakdown of the Geneva peace talks, and how they could provide greater assistance to the Yemeni people by facilitating the entry of humanitarian and commercial goods into Yemen.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Brexit

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Written Statement of 13 March 2018 on Spring Statement, HCWS540, how much of that funding he has allocated to (a) programmes, (b) administration and (c) staffing in his Department.

Sir Alan Duncan: HM Treasury has allocated over £2 billion of additional funding to departments and the Devolved Administrations for EU exit preparations so far. This breaks down as:£412m of additional funding over the spending review period for the Department for Exiting the European Union, Department for International Trade and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office at Autumn Statement 2016.£286m of additional funding for 17/18 (a full breakdown of which can be found in Supplementary Estimates 17/18).https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/679738/PU2137_Supplementary_estimates_web.pdf.Over £1.5bn of additional funding for 18/19. A full breakdown of which can be found in the Chief Secretary's Written Ministerial Statement, HCWS540, laid on the 13th March (https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-03-13/HCWS540/)FCO was allocated £29.6m for costs arising as the UK leave the EU in the Spring Statement 2018. The final breakdown between programme and administration spend will be confirmed in the Supplementary Estimates. With reference to part (c) £20.1m of the FCO's allocation is for staffing.

Bangladesh: Political Prisoners

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made representations to the Government of Bangladesh on the decision to create a special court within the prison in which the Bangladesh Opposition Leader, Khaleda Zia, is currently held.

Mark Field: ​I am clear that the UK wants to see a free, fair and pluralistic general election in Bangladesh, and we have consistently encouraged the Government of Bangladesh and opposition parties to engage in an effective dialogue to this end. I made these points to senior members of the Government of Bangladesh, including State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shahriar Alam, and members of the opposition Bangladesh National Party during my visit to Bangladesh from 29 June to 1 July this year. The Foreign Secretary made these points to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina when they met on 24 September at the UN General Assembley in New York.We keep in close touch with the Commonwealth, including the Secretary General, on our shared desire to see a free, fair, and pluralistic general election Bangladesh. All Commonwealth members, including Bangladesh, reaffirmed their support for core Commonwealth values during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in April this year, and the UK remains a proud supporter of these values.

Bangladesh: Elections

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to encourage the Government of Bangladesh to hold a free and fair general election later this year.

Mark Field: ​I am clear that the UK wants to see a free, fair and pluralistic general election in Bangladesh, and we have consistently encouraged the Government of Bangladesh and opposition parties to engage in an effective dialogue to this end. I made these points to senior members of the Government of Bangladesh, including State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shahriar Alam, and members of the opposition Bangladesh National Party during my visit to Bangladesh from 29 June to 1 July this year. The Foreign Secretary made these points to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina when they met on 24 September at the UN General Assembley in New York.We keep in close touch with the Commonwealth, including the Secretary General, on our shared desire to see a free, fair, and pluralistic general election Bangladesh. All Commonwealth members, including Bangladesh, reaffirmed their support for core Commonwealth values during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in April this year, and the UK remains a proud supporter of these values.

Bangladesh: Political Prisoners

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations has he made to the Secretary General of the Commonwealth on the relationship between the Commonwealth's core values on human rights and the rule of law and the creation by Bangladesh of a special court to try the opposition leader of that country.

Mark Field: I am clear that the UK wants to see a free, fair and pluralistic general election in Bangladesh, and we have consistently encouraged the Government of Bangladesh and opposition parties to engage in an effective dialogue to this end. I made these points to senior members of the Government of Bangladesh, including State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shahriar Alam, and members of the opposition Bangladesh National Party during my visit to Bangladesh from 29 June to 1 July this year. The Foreign Secretary made these points to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina when they met on 24 September at the UN General Assembley in New York.We keep in close touch with the Commonwealth, including the Secretary General, on our shared desire to see a free, fair, and pluralistic general election Bangladesh. All Commonwealth members, including Bangladesh, reaffirmed their support for core Commonwealth values during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in April this year, and the UK remains a proud supporter of these values.

Burma: Rohingya

Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking to help (a) prevent further violence towards and (b) resolve the causes of the Rohingya crisis.

Mark Field: The UK supported the establishment and activity of the Rakhine Advisory Commission, which in August 2017 delivered a set of recommendations to address the causes of the Rohingya crisis. The UK continues to press the Burmese authorities to implement these recommendations in full. The UK secured a UN Security Council Presidential Statement on 6 November 2017 which emphasised that call, and called on Burma to refrain from the excessive use of military force in Rakhine State. Since then the UK has ensured a clear international message to the Burmese military through continued UN Security Council attention, including its visit to Burma of April/May 2018, and through the UN Human Rights Council resolution of 27 September. The Foreign Secretary told State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi that accountability for human rights violations was critical to the future safety of Rohingya in Rakhine when they met on 20 September.

Burma: Rohingya

Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he plans to refer the Government of Myanmar to the International Criminal Court for their actions towards the Rohingya.

Mark Field: The Foreign Secretary has made clear that referring the situation in Burma to the International Criminal Court (ICC) is an option the UN Security Council (UNSC) should consider. To allow this discussion to happen the UK is calling for the UNSC to debate the report of the UN Fact Finding Mission.However, our assessment remains that there is insufficient support amongst Security Council members for an ICC referral at this time. It will not advance the cause of accountability for an ICC referral to fail to win Security Council support or to be vetoed; such a result would only give comfort to the Burmese military and reduce the pressure they currently face.

Burma: Rohingya

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of steps the Government of Myanmar must take to ensure conditions are safe for Rohingya to return.

Mark Field: The UK, working with EU partners and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, secured a UN Human Rights Council Resolution on 27 September that sets out the detailed steps the Government of Burma should take to support the return of Rohingya refugees and internally displaced persons. The resolution stresses that the returns process needs to be in consultation with the populations concerned and in accordance with international law and standards. It calls for the Government of Burma to provide returnees with freedom of movement, unimpeded access to livelihoods and social services; abandon policies and practices that marginalize the Rohingya economically; prevent the destruction of property and loss of rights to property; and address the root causes of their vulnerability and forced displacement.

Burma: Rohingya

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of  investigations undertaken by the Burmese (a) government and (b) military into violence and human rights abuses against the Rohingya since 2012.

Mark Field: The Burmese Government has led or commissioned four investigations into violence in Rakhine involving the Rohingya since 2012. The Burmese military has conducted three investigations since 2012 into its troops' conduct during operations in Rakhine involving the Rohingya, none of which have met international standards. The Foreign Secretary underlined to State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi in their 20 September meeting the critical importance of holding to account those responsible for atrocities, and called on Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing to cooperate on accountability. The UK is calling on the Burmese authorities to ensure the Commission of Inquiry is a credible, transparent and impartial investigation, drawing on all evidence already gathered, and leading to a process that holds to account the perpetrators of atrocities.

Yemen: Peace Negotiations

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the statement of 21 September by the the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs on the humanitarian situation in Hodeidah, whether he has made representations to his Saudi and UAE counterparts on an unconditional ceasefire and peace talks.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign Secretary met his Emirati and Saudi Arabian counterparts in a meeting of the Yemen Quad on 27 September at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. He urged them to seize the opportunity for political progress. They underlined their complete support for the UN process led by Special Envoy Martin Griffiths.

Saudi Arabia: Arms Trade

Janet Daby: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September to Question 169234, what assessment his Department has made of whether arms exported to Saudi Arabia under current export licences have been used to commit a serious violation of international humanitarian law.

Alistair Burt: We keep export licensing for Saudi Arabia under constant review, including in light of military action by the Saudi-led Coalition in Yemen. As set out in the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, the Government will not issue an export licence where we assess that the items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law.

Burma: Rohingya

Hugh Gaffney: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Government of Myanmar on human rights abuses against the Rohingya since his appointment.

Mark Field: ​In his meeting with Burma's State Counsellor (and Foreign Minister) Aung San Suu Kyi on 20 September, the Foreign Secretary made clear that holding to account those responsible for atrocities was of critical importance. He underlined that giving refugees hope of a safe return and future in Rakhine depending on accountability for human rights violations. He expressed his grave concerns about Burma's refusal to grant access to the UN Fact Finding Mission.

Anna Campbell

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations has he made to the Turkish Government on the repatriation of the body of British national Anna Campbell from that country.

Alistair Burt: ​​The British Embassy in Ankara has engaged with the Turkish authorities about returning Anna Campbell's body to her family and with the International Red Cross. Due to the situation on the ground it is extremely difficult to confirm the whereabouts of any British nationals in Syria. We continue to stress to Turkey the importance of ensuring that the UN and non-governmental organisation partners are able to operate in areas under Turkish control. We stand ready to engage further with the authorities should the situation change.

Bangladesh: Elections

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the fairness of the recent local elections in Bangladesh.

Mark Field: There were credible media reports of irregularities at recent local elections in Bangladesh, including those in Barishal, Rajshahi and Sylhet in July. We have consistently encouraged the Government of Bangladesh and opposition parties to engage in an effective dialogue to lay the groundwork for free, fair and pluralistic elections, including the general election due to take place at the end of this year. I made these points to senior members of the Government of Bangladesh, including State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shahriar Alam, and members of the main opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, during my visit to Bangladesh from 29 June to 1 July this year. The Foreign Secretary made these points to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina when they met on 24 September at the UN General Assembley in New York.

Noura Hussein

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Attorney General in the Sudanese Government to intervene in the case of Noura Hussein and to prevent the death penalty being reinstated.

Harriett Baldwin: I personally raised our concerns related to Noura's case with the Sudanese Foreign Minister on 12 June. Additionally, the British Ambassador to Sudan continues to raise at the highest levels the need for significant improvements in women's rights and an end to forced marriage. We will continue to monitor closely any future developments in relation to Noura's case and to raise human rights concerns with the Government of Sudan.

Sudan: Freedom of Expression

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress he has made in the UK-Sudan Strategic Dialogue on protecting freedom of speech in Sudan.

Harriett Baldwin: Freedom of speech is a core part of the human rights element of the UK-Sudan Strategic Dialogue. We continue to make clear to the Government of Sudan that it is crucial that the Sudanese people should be allowed to exercise their right to freedom of expression, however little overall improvement has yet been made on this issue. Both I and officials at the UK Embassy in Khartoum continue to raise these concerns with the Government of Sudan at the highest level.

Peter Biar Ajak

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on what date officials in his Department last discussed the case of Peter Biar Ajak with the South Sudanese Government.

Harriett Baldwin: Our Ambassador to South Sudan most recently discussed Mr Ajak’s case with the South Sudanese Government on 5 October. Our Special Envoy to Sudan and South Sudan raised the release of political prisoners with the Government of South Sudan on 9 October.​

Saudi Arabia: Social Media

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Saudi counterpart on the proposed punishment of people with prison sentences of up to five years and fines up to £623,000 for the (a) production and (b) distribution of satire on social media that mocks, provokes or disrupts public order, religious values and public morals.

Alistair Burt: ​The UK strongly supports freedom of expression. We believe that civil society organisations and individuals should have the freedom to express their opinions, including where they challenge government policy. Our views are well known by the Saudi authorities. Saudi Arabia is a Foreign and Commonwealth Office human rights priority country.

Sudan: Elections

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Sudanese counterpart on proposals by President Bashir to amend the Sudanese constitution to allow him to stand for election in 2020; and if he will make a statement.

Harriett Baldwin: During my visit to Khartoum in August, I urged the Government of Sudan to create a political environment conducive to freedom of expression and political affiliation. I discussed the 2020 elections in this context with First Vice President Bakri Hassan Saleh. During his visit to Sudan in September, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon raised the importance of a stable and pluralistic political environment in ensuring that the 2020 elections are free, fair and inclusive

James Gatdet Dak

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department has classified James Gatdet Dak, the spokesperson of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition, as a political prisoner.

Harriett Baldwin: The British Government is deeply concerned by the continued repression of freedom of expression, the use of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance, and the lack of due process afforded to political prisoners by the Government of South Sudan. We are concerned at the continuing detention of Mr Gatdet and many others despite commitments made as part of the recent peace process for the immediate release of political detainees.The release of political prisoners is a vital step that will build confidence between the parties to the conflict in South Sudan and will demonstrate the Government of South Sudan’s commitment to the peace agreement signed on 12 September. Through our bilateral engagement, and as a member of the Troika, we continue to urge the Government of South Sudan to release all political detainees as an immediate priority. We also call for an immediate end to violence, unhindered humanitarian access and full implementation of the terms of the peace agreement.

James Gatdet Dak

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his counterparts in South Sudan on the continued detention of James Gatdet Dak, the spokesperson of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition.

Harriett Baldwin: The British Government is deeply concerned by the continued repression of freedom of expression, the use of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance, and the lack of due process afforded to political prisoners by the Government of South Sudan. We are concerned at the continuing detention of Mr Gatdet and many others despite commitments made as part of the recent peace process for the immediate release of political detainees.The release of political prisoners is a vital step that will build confidence between the parties to the conflict in South Sudan and will demonstrate the Government of South Sudan’s commitment to the peace agreement signed on 12 September. Through our bilateral engagement, and as a member of the Troika, we continue to urge the Government of South Sudan to release all political detainees as an immediate priority. We also call for an immediate end to violence, unhindered humanitarian access and full implementation of the terms of the peace agreement.

Tanzania: Statistics

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his counterparts in Tanzania on the proposed amendments to the 2015 Statistics Act in that country criminalising the collection and dissemination of information contradicting official statistics.

Harriett Baldwin: The promotion of transparency and freedom of expression remains an important priority for the British Government. We are concerned about the recent amendments to the Statistics Act 2015 in Tanzania, which are out of line with international standards such as the UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics. The British High Commissioner and Head of DFID in Tanzania have both raised our concerns with the Tanzanian Authorities including the Minister of Finance and Planning and the Bank of Tanzania. During CHOGM in April I also raised concerns over democracy and human rights in my meeting with the Tanzanian Foreign Minister. We supported the World Bank's statement of 2 October and will continue to work with partners to express our concerns. We believe it is important for countries to use statistics laws to ensure official statistics are of a high quality and are trusted, and also support openness and transparency

Tanzania: Electoral Systems

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in Tanzania on the integrity of its electoral process since the decision of that country’s main opposition party to suspend participation in future elections.

Harriett Baldwin: On 11 October, I met the Tanzanian Minister for Constitutional and Legal Affairs during the London Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference. Discussions covered democracy in Tanzania. The High Commission in Dar es Salaam in its regular contact with all political parties actively encourages them to engage constructively in political dialogue.

Hong Kong: Visas

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what what representations he has made to his counterpart in Hong Kong on the decision not to renew the visa of the Asia News editor at the Financial Times.

Mark Field: The Foreign Secretary issued the following statement on 9 October 2018:“I remain very concerned by the Hong Kong authorities’ unprecedented rejection of a visa for senior British journalist Victor Mallet. In the absence of an explanation from the authorities we can only conclude that this move is politically motivated. This undermines Hong Kong’s freedom of speech and freedom of the press, both guaranteed by the Joint Declaration, and the Basic Law, and increases the pressure on the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ framework. I urge the Hong Kong authorities to reconsider this decision. Confidence in Hong Kong’s rights and freedoms is an essential component of its future success.”We shall continue to raise this issue with the Hong Kong authorities.​

Malek Reuben Riak Rengu

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether it is his policy that (a) ministers and (b) officials of his Department  meet with General Malek Reuben Riak Rengu, the newly-appointed Deputy Defence Minister of South Sudan.

Harriett Baldwin: The UK continues to play a key role in supporting the South Sudan peace process to secure an end to the violence and suffering that has killed hundreds of thousands and forced millions to flee their homes. To that end officials engage with all sides to encourage the effective and accountable implementation of the peace agreement signed on 12 September 2018. ​

Hong Kong: Visas

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Hong Kong counterpart in on the issue of work visas to journalists.

Mark Field: The Foreign Secretary issued the following statement on 9 October 2018:“I remain very concerned by the Hong Kong authorities’ unprecedented rejection of a visa for senior British journalist Victor Mallet. In the absence of an explanation from the authorities we can only conclude that this move is politically motivated. This undermines Hong Kong’s freedom of speech and freedom of the press, both guaranteed by the Joint Declaration, and the Basic Law, and increases the pressure on the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ framework. I urge the Hong Kong authorities to reconsider this decision. Confidence in Hong Kong’s rights and freedoms is an essential component of its future success.”It is imperative that journalists are allowed to perform their work independently, and without interference.We have raised this issue with the Hong Kong authorities.

Department for Education

Academies: Finance

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the BBC Panorama investigation entitled Profits before Pupils? broadcast on 13th September 2018, whether his Department plans to review financial governance in academies.

Nadhim Zahawi: Academy trusts have primary responsibility for their own financial affairs and the department’s relationship with them is based on the principle of self-governance, founded on a clear framework communicated and regulated by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), through trusts’ funding agreement and the Academies Financial Handbook. If academy trusts are governed well and in accordance with the framework then the Secretary of State’s interaction with them will be limited. If not, then intervention may be required. Academy trusts must implement the right financial procedures including internal checks of compliance. They must have an audit committee, or equivalent, to manage their risks and oversee checks of systems of control. They must take ownership of balancing their budget and send a copy to the ESFA in advance of each year. These requirements are strengthened by external scrutiny – academy trusts’ annual accounts must be reviewed by an independent auditor. This makes oversight more independent and more transparent than for local authority schools who are not required to prepare individual statutory accounts – their financial performance is instead summarised within the authorities’ accounts. We are not, however, complacent and are continually looking to develop and strengthen our approach. The Academies Financial Handbook is strengthened annually to enhance the accountability and governance framework. The department published a new edition in June 2018 and the main changes were:Executive pay – even more focus on the board’s responsibility for ensuring decisions about senior leaders’ pay are proportionate, justifiable and clearly documented.Related party transactions (RPTs) – embedding a new requirement for trusts to report all RPTs to the ESFA in advance and to seek approval for those over £20,000.Management accounts – emphasising a rigorous approach to setting and monitoring financial plans, including board engagement.Audit findings – being clear that trusts must respond in an appropriate and timely manner to advice from auditors, taking opportunities to strengthen their systems.

Pupils: Hearing Impairment

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2018 to Question 169059 on Pupils: Hearing Impairment, what proportion of that funding has been made available to the recruitment and retention of Teachers of the Deaf.

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2018 to Question 169059 on Pupils: Hearing Impairment, whether the new SEND regional leads have been tasked with engaging with local authority specialist education services for deaf children.

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to monitor the adequacy of the number of Teachers of the Deaf.

Nadhim Zahawi: The funding made available through the new Department for Education contracts covers a wide range of activity designed to support the education workforce, support families, and support local authorities and their partners. Within this, £3.4 million has been provided for the special educational needs and disability (SEND) Schools’ Workforce contract, a strand of which is a study to understand the supply, demand and drivers for SEND continuing professional development (CPD). Also included is an exercise to map access to CPD and an analysis of the gaps in training and resources available to schools. The aim of the contract is to ensure that all teachers are equipped to respond to the needs of their pupils, including those with hearing impairment. Supporting teachers of pupils with sensory impairment is part of the contract, but direct funding for Teachers of the Deaf is not included in this activity and the department does not fund the training of Teachers of the Deaf. It is up to local authorities to work with the schools in their area to identify the nature of specialist support services they commission according to the needs of schools in their authority. The SEND Code of Practice makes clear that all local authorities are required to publish a local offer, which sets out information about provision they expect to be available for children and young people with SEND in their area. The local offer must include relevant regional and national specialist provision, such as provision for children and young people with low-incidence and more complex special educational needs (SEN). Under the SEND Schools’ Workforce contract, eight regional hubs will be created, consisting of a Regional and Deputy Regional SEND Leader in each region. Their role is to identify and bring together local SEND networks and to support school improvement, including condition specific networks. As part of that work, they will make links with the SEND leads in local authorities and will use those discussions to identify weaknesses and priorities for school improvement in the area. Our work with the whole school SEND programme will help us understand the gaps in training and resources available to schools to support pupils with SEND, including the needs of mainstream schools to support pupils with hearing impairments. As we review the conclusions of that analysis, we will also consider the information received from the National Deaf Children’s Society on trends in the recruitment of Teachers of the Deaf. The department is reviewing recruitment and retention data to understand whether special schools and alternative providers are facing teacher shortages and how this compares to mainstream teaching as part of a wider focus on teacher recruitment and retention.

Students: Fraud

Alex Chalk: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to crack down on the use of essay mill cheating services amongst students.

Mr Sam Gyimah: Cheating is unacceptable. It undermines the reputation of the sector, and devalues the hard work of those succeeding on their own merit. We are currently focussing on non-legislative options, but remain open to the future need for legislation, and will continue to investigate all options available. We should only legislate where it is absolutely necessary – the government’s preferred approach is to tackle this issue through a sector-led initiative – which is why the department has worked with Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), Universities UK and the National Union of Students to publish guidance last October, for all UK Universities on how best to tackle contract cheating. Time is needed to fully evaluate the effectiveness of the new guidance and this is underway. The QAA is running a series of seminars to evaluate how the sector is using the guidance. Through the Higher Education and Research Act (2017), we have given the Office for Students the power to take action if higher education providers are found to be, in any way, complicit in cheating. This includes imposing fines or ultimately de-registration, the highest possible punishment. I expect Vice Chancellors to play their part by adopting robust anti plagiarism and cheating policies which exclude students who use essay mills and by tackling the advertising of these services in their institutions. I welcome the swift action YouTube took to remove videos containing adverts promoting the EduBirdie essay-writing service, in response to the recent 'BBC Trending' investigation on academic cheating, in which I made it very clear that YouTube had a moral responsibility to take action.

Students: Finance

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress the Government has made on providing a sharia-compliant alternative student finance system.

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans for a sharia-compliant alternative student finance system to be in place for applications for the 2019-2020 academic year.

Mr Sam Gyimah: I refer the hon. member for West Ham, to the letter I sent to Lord Sharkey on 24 July 2018, updating him on the progress we have made and the current position on Alternative Student Finance (ASF), a copy of which in available in the Libraries of both Houses. As set out in that letter, the government intends to provide further details on the implementation of ASF following the publication of the final report of the Review of Post-18 Education and Funding in early 2019.

Teachers: Pay

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the same (a) criteria and (b) decision-making process was used to determine whether there would be an extension of the teachers’ pay grant to (i) 16-19 academies and (ii) sixth form colleges; for what reasons the teachers’ pay grant was not extended to sixth form colleges; if he will make it his policy to extend the teachers’ pay grant to sixth form colleges; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: The school teachers’ pay grant provides financial support to maintained schools (including 16-19 maintained schools). They must follow the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document to help them implement the pay award. We confirmed that we would mirror the grant so that it covers all academies, including 16 -19 academies.However, the further education (FE) sector, including sixth form colleges, has a different legal status and relationship to the government when compared with academies, and this needs to be taken into account in making decisions. Sixth form colleges are private sector institutions, independent of government. Therefore, it would not be appropriate for the government to extend funding to them that is intended to support a specific pay deal for school teachers.We recognise that the FE sector faces cost pressures. This is why we have been actively engaging with the sector to look closely at how we fund providers, in order to ensure that the system supports sustainable, high-quality education. We have also been actively engaging with the FE sector to understand the specific challenges and opportunities for FE teacher recruitment and retention. We will consider these in our work going forward including in the Spending Review.

Pupils: Arthritis

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that schools are offering adequate help and support for children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Nadhim Zahawi: It is important that children with medical conditions, such as juvenile idiopathic arthritis, are supported to receive a full education. Under Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014, governing boards are required to make arrangements to support pupils with medical conditions and to have regard to statutory guidance.The guidance is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3, and covers a range of areas including the preparation and implementation of school policies for supporting pupils with medical conditions, the use of individual healthcare plans, staff training, medicines administration, roles and responsibilities, consulting with parents and collaborative working with healthcare professionals. It was developed with a range of stakeholders including the Health Conditions in Schools Alliance (HSA), school leaders, academy organisations, unions, young people and their parents, and Department of Health and Social Care officials and is based on good practice in schools.We continue to work with organisations such as the HSA to help raise further awareness of the duty on schools.

Teachers: Pay

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representations he has received from (a) schools and (b) teachers on the effect on the financial sustainability of schools of the first one per cent of the teacher's pay award being funded from existing school budgets.

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on (a) schools’ budgets and (b) the quality of education schools are able to provide of the decision that the first one per cent of the teacher's pay award will be funded from existing school budgets.

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the ability of schools to fund the first one per cent of the teachers’ pay award from existing budgets.

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reason the first one per cent of the teachers' pay award is funded from existing school budgets.

Nick Gibb: Schools, as part of their routine financial planning, will have already set budgets for their current funding year, which began in April for maintained schools and September for academies. 1% is the minimum schools should have anticipated for increases in teachers’ pay, in line with the previous public sector pay policy. Funding therefore needs to cover the difference between this minimum and the award itself, which the Department has provided for in full. The Department will be supporting schools in England to implement the award with an investment of £508 million through a new teachers’ pay grant of £187 million in 2018-19 and £321 million in 2019-20. The grant will provide additional support to all maintained schools and academies, over and above the funding that they receive through the National Funding Formula.

Adoption Support Fund

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what his plans are for the Adoption Support Fund over the next five years.

Nadhim Zahawi: The Adoption Support Fund is guaranteed until March 2020. Plans for the fund beyond 2020 will be considered as part of the government spending review process.

Schools: Transport

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made on the effect of raising of the Participation Age to 18 on the ability of (a) families and (b) local authorities to afford post-16 school and college transport.

Anne Milton: The statutory responsibility for transport to education and training for 16 to 19 year olds rests with local authorities, enabling them to make decisions based on local needs and circumstances. Local authorities are expected to make reasonable decisions based on the needs of their population, the local transport infrastructure and the resources that they have available.Most young people have access to some kind of discount or concession on bus or train travel, either from their local authority, their local transport providers or from their school or college. The 16-19 Bursary Fund is also available to support young people who need additional support to help them with costs such as transport.At the end of 2017, the proportion of 16 and 17 year olds in education or an apprenticeship was 90.5%. This is the highest level since consistent records began in 1994.

Supply Teachers: Expenditure

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much was spent on procuring supply teachers through agencies in the last five years.

Nick Gibb: The amount spent by local authority maintained schools on supply teaching staff and agency supply teaching staff (as well as costs and receipts from supply teacher insurance) is available on the Department’s School and College Performance website here: https://www.gov.uk/school-performance-tables. The amount spent by academies on supply teaching staff and agency supply teaching staff (as well as costs and receipts from supply teacher insurance) can be found in the department’s Statistical First Release ‘Income and expenditure in academies in England’: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-local-authority-school-finance-data#academy-spending. Data is available from 2011/12, when they were first collected in this format, up to 2015/16. Data for academies in 2016/17 is also published in a newer format here: https://schools-financial-benchmarking.service.gov.uk/Help/DataSources.

Pre-school Education: Disadvantaged

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which groups were successful in applying for funding from the Early Years VCS Disadvantage Grants 2018-20 programme.

Nadhim Zahawi: Following a fair and open competition over the summer, bidders were notified of the outcome of their VCS Disadvantage Grant application on 19 September 2018. We are now completing pre-award clarifications with successful organisations. Once grant agreements have been issued we will publish the names of organisations on Contract Finder.

Adoption Panels: Pay

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance his Department provides on payment of the members of adoption panels.

Nadhim Zahawi: Guidance on the payment of adoption panel members can be found in the Department’s Adoption Statutory Guidance available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/adoption-statutory-guidance-2013.

Family Drug and Alcohol Court

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the continuation of Family Drug and Alcohol Courts.

Nadhim Zahawi: A network of local Family Drug and Alcohol Courts (FDAC) operates across England offering important support to families. Local FDACs are funded by those local areas who choose to establish or commission these services locally.We have recently established the Children’s Social Care What Works Centre which will help local areas to better understand the evidence base so they can make more informed decisions about which programmes to commission to suit local needs.

Adoption Support Fund: Care Leavers

Mike Hill: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Adoption Support Fund, how many claims have been received on behalf of previously looked after children now on special guardianship orders; how many of those claims have been successful (a) in total and (b) by local authority area; and what the average amount awarded was (i) in total and (ii) by local authority area.

Nadhim Zahawi: Between the period 1 April 2016 to 25 September 2018[1], there were 1,929 applications submitted on behalf of previously looked after children now living in special guardianship arrangements, of which 1,767 were successful; 12 were unsuccessful; 92 are currently being processed; and 58 were withdrawn. The total average amount awarded was £2,950.Local authority area information can be found in the attached table.[2]   [1] The Adoption Support Fund was extended to previously looked after children now living in special guardianship arrangements on 1 April 2016.[2] All amounts have been rounded to the nearest pound. 



Applications_by_local_authority_area
(Word Document, 33.47 KB)

Pupil Premium: Care Leavers

Mike Hill: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many previously looked after children on a (a) special guardianship order, (b) child arrangements order and (c) residence order in each local authority area are in receipt of a pupil premium grant.

Nadhim Zahawi: We publish annual figures for the overall number of previously looked after children eligible for the pupil premium plus grant, in each local authority area at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-conditions-of-grant-2018-to-2019.A breakdown of these figures is provided in the attached table showing the post looked after arrangements which children have left local authority care in England and Wales through either adoption, a special guardianship order, a residence order or a child arrangement order.



Post_looked_after_children_arrangements
(Excel SpreadSheet, 36.52 KB)

Children: Social Services

Mike Hill: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance his Department provides to Directors of Children's Services to help them understand their responsibility to provide support services to kinship care families; and what monitoring his Department undertakes to measure the efficiency of those services nationally.

Nadhim Zahawi: The government issued statutory guidance in 2011 for local authorities about supporting family and friends providing care for children who cannot live with their parents. The guidance makes it clear that children and young people should receive the support that they and their carers need to safeguard and promote their welfare. It explains that support can be provided under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989.Local authorities are required to publish a policy setting out their approach to promoting and supporting the needs of all children living with family and friends as carers, regardless of their legal status. The department monitors whether local authorities are meeting this requirement and we have recently written to non-compliant local authorities to remind them of this duty and that the policy should be clear, regularly updated, and made freely and widely available.

Alternative Education: Special Educational Needs

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children and young people with special educational needs were recorded as being educated elsewhere and in settings other than a school for each year since 2015.

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the statistical first release series, Statements of special educational needs (SEN) and education, health and care (EHC) plans, what the special educational primary need of children and young people with statements of SEN and EHC plans were for those children recorded as being educated elsewhere in each year since 2015.

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children and young people with a special educational primary need of autism were educated elsewhere and outside of a school setting in each of the last five years.

Nadhim Zahawi: The number of children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) with Statements of SEN or Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans recorded as being educated elsewhere and in settings other than a school for each year since 2015, is published in the ‘Statements of SEN and EHC plans’ statistical publication available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statements-of-sen-and-ehc-plans-england-2018.Data on primary need is not available for children and young people who are educated elsewhere.

Further Education: Care Leavers and Children in Care

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) looked-after children and (b) care leavers went on to further education in 2016-17.

Nadhim Zahawi: The information requested is not held centrally.The number of care leavers aged 19 to 21 years old, who were in education other than higher education in the year ending 31 March 2017, was 5,090. For care leavers aged 17 to 18, the number was 4,610. Information on care leavers aged 17 and 18 years old was collected for the first time for the year ending 31 March 2016 and is published as experimental statistics.These figures were published in 2017, in the statistical release ‘Children looked after in England including adoption: 2016 to 2017 (SFR 50/2017)’ at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2016-to-2017.Education other than higher education refers to all studies excluding degrees, diplomas in higher education, teaching and nursing qualifications, HNDs, ONDs, and BTEC levels 4-5, all of which fall under the category of higher education.

Schools: Preston

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding his Department allocated to schools in the Preston constituency in each financial year since 2010-11; and what estimate he has made of the funding that will be allocated to schools in Preston constituency under the National Funding Formula in (a) 2018-19 and (b) 2019-20.

Nick Gibb: Funding for schools is given to local authorities through the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), and local authorities in turn, distribute this money to schools in their area through their own local formulae. The following table outlines the schools block DSG allocations for Lancashire, for the years that this information is available. Schools block allocations are not calculated at constituency level.Schools block DSG allocations for Lancashire Schools block unit of fundingTotal schools block2013-14£4,486£684.2 million2014-15£4,486£686.6 million2015-16£4,479£692.3 million2016-17£4,482£701.4 million2017-18£4,504£714.7 million2018-19£4,533£727.9 million Prior to 2013-14, DSG allocations were not split into distinct blocks for schools, high needs and early years, and comparable data is not available.Since 2018-19, schools block allocations have been calculated through the national funding formula (NFF), based on individual schools’ characteristics. The attached table outlines notional NFF allocations for schools in Preston in 2018-19 and 2019-20.  To provide stability for schools, local authorities will continue to be responsible for designing the distribution of funding in their areas in 2018-19 through to 2020-21. Because of this, the actual amount that schools receive may be different from the amount they are attracting through the national funding formula. Local authorities set their local formula in consultation with local schools.



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Primary Education: Lancashire

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effect of the new school funding formula on primary schools in Lancashire; and how many schools will receive (a) increased funding and (b) reduced funding compared with the 2017-18 financial year.

Nick Gibb: The Department for Education has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Maintained Schools: Lancashire

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans are in place to reduce the deficit in local authority maintained schools, including nurseries, special schools and Pupil Referral Units in Lancashire in 2019-20.

Nick Gibb: The Department has developed a range of support and benchmarking tools for all schools and local authorities to help schools manage resources effectively. Details of these can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-excellent-school-resource-management/supporting-excellent-school-resource-management. Local authorities are responsible for the oversight of financial management in maintained schools, the Department continues to work closely with them to support them in this work.

Healthy Pupils Capital Fund

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much of the revenue from the levy on the soft drinks industry was allocated to the Healthy Pupils Capital Fund in 2017-18; and how his Department plans to ensure that funding is not used for any shortfall in the schools budget.

Nadhim Zahawi: The Healthy Pupils Capital Fund (HPCF) is a one year fund of £100 million in 2018-19.Existing mechanisms for school condition funding have been used to allocate the HPCF. Local authorities and large multi-academy trusts have received an allocation from the HPCF (£62 million). The funding can only be used for capital projects and responsible bodies are required to report on how they have spent their HPCF in the same way they report on, and alongside, their School Condition Allocation.Single and small academy trusts and sixth-form colleges were able to bid for a share of £38 million of the HPCF through the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) in 2018-2019. All responsible bodies are required to sign up to terms and conditions which state that funding can only be spent on what was applied for before the first payment is released. Once underway, all CIF projects are required to submit regular monitoring reports to the department. At the end of the project, a final completion certificate is required before the final payment is released.

Pupils: Hearing Impairment

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many teachers of the deaf were employed for each of the last five years.

Nadhim Zahawi: The information requested is not held centrally.

Primary Education: Sports

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to promote professional sport as a career to girls at primary school level.

Nadhim Zahawi: It is important that all children are given the opportunity to try different sports and develop their abilities, which might lead to a professional career for some. My right Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, recently made a commitment to the development of a school sport and activity action plan to engage all pupils in sport at school. This work will look at the opportunities that are given to girls.The government will be engaging with professional sports bodies to develop the action plan. Existing programmes such as Primary Futures and Premier League Primary Stars help pupils to understand the connection between learning and their futures from an early age, including through access to sports personalities and sports-themed maths and English resources.Through the Primary PE and Sport premium, the government has invested over £920 million of ring-fenced funding to primary schools to improve PE and sport since 2013. From September 2017, this funding was doubled to £320 million per year and allows schools to offer different sports of interest to pupils, participation in more competitive sport and offer extra-curricular sports that appeal to all pupils to develop healthy habits from an early age and a lifelong love of sport and physical activity.

Special Educational Needs: Classroom Assistants and Teachers

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the level of retention rates of (a) teachers in secondary Special Educational Needs schools and (b) teaching assistants in Special Educational Needs schools.

Nick Gibb: The Department has recently published retention rates of Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs), by school type, in the online application that accompanies the fourth Teachers Analysis Compendium: Analysis of teacher supply, retention and mobility. The compendium was published on 27 September 2018 and is available here:[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/teachers-analysis-compendium-4.The published rates show that NQTs in special schools have slightly higher retention rates than NQTs in the wider school sector.The information requested regarding retention rates for teaching assistants is not held centrally.   [1] Retention rates data may be selected for the following school types: primary, secondary, and special schools, but are not available for secondary special schools only (special phase retention rates provided combine data for primary and secondary special schools). The retention rates only apply to NQTs that enter service in the year after Initial Teacher Training, not all teachers.

Special Educational Needs: Classroom Assistants

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of rates of pay for teaching assistants in (a) primary Special Educational Needs schools and (b) secondary Special Educational Needs schools.

Nick Gibb: Teaching assistant rates of pay are determined by the head teacher or school employer. They are best placed to use their professional judgment and local understanding to set support staff terms and conditions. For this reason, the Department has no plans to review rates of pay.

Schools: Mental Health Services

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the costs to schools of new obligations for mental health support and education; and whether he has plans to allocate additional funding to schools to discharge those obligations.

Nick Gibb: The proposals set out in the green paper 'Transforming Children and Young people’s Mental Health Provision' do not place new obligations on schools.The Government will fund the training of a Designated Senior Lead for mental health in every school, but it will be for schools to decide whether to put a lead in place and train them in how to implement a whole school approach to mental health. Around half of schools already have an identified lead for mental health and see the benefits it can bring.New mental health support teams will provide a trained workforce linked to groups of schools and supervised by NHS staff to meet the needs of children and young people with mild to moderate mental health issues. The teams have the potential to reduce the burden on schools of dealing with mental health issues very significantly. During the initial trailblazer stage of implementation the Department will evaluate how well they work with schools to achieve this.Schools will be required to teach about mental health as part of our plans to make Health Education compulsory. The Department is currently considering what support schools will need to deliver high-quality teaching, and are seeking views through the consultation on the subject.

Schools: Mental Health Services

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to encourage schools to create designated senior leads for mental health.

Nick Gibb: The Department for Education’s ‘Supporting Mental Health in Schools and Colleges’ survey showed that 49% of all schools and colleges already have a dedicated lead for mental health.  To support these schools, and provide an incentive for more schools to adopt a Designated Senior Lead for mental health, the Government has committed to funding training for a lead in every school over five years, starting from the 2019/20 academic year. The Department is currently assessing the options for providing sufficient high quality training.  The training will be supported by the other proposals set out in the green paper Transforming Children and Young People’s Mental Health Provision. The Department’s pilot of training to improve joint working between schools and NHS mental health services has been a success, and will be rolled out nationally. This scheme has already helped around 1,000 schools build better links to specialist services through named points of contact in health and education. The Government is also funding new Mental Health Support Teams working in or near schools to provide earlier access to a wider range of support and treatments and help reduce mental health problems worsening or developing in the first place. These teams will provide school leads with the specialist support they need from qualified mental health professionals.

School Milk

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department plans to introduce free school milk for all children in (a) Early Years Foundation Stage and (b) Key Stage 1; and what steps the Government is taking to increase the use of plastic-free packaging for milk provided to schools.

Nadhim Zahawi: The government wants to give children the best possible start in the early years of their life. The Nursery Milk Scheme allows early years settings and schools to claim back the cost of providing one drink of milk per day to all children under the age of five. It is important that we target our funding as effectively as possible towards children that are most in need. From the age of five upwards, free milk is therefore available to all children who are eligible for free school meals. We have no current plans to extend free school milk eligibility. Schools are able to take part in the EU School Milk Subsidy Scheme to assist with the cost of providing milk. Schools are responsible for their day-to-day routine and we know that they are concerned about wider issues like reducing wastage. Numerous schools are actively trying to reduce plastic waste with schemes that work with suppliers and involve pupils looking after their environment, both inside and outside of school and we encourage schools to do as much as they can.

Schools: Sexual Offences

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department has taken to improve (a) guidance, (b) training and (c) systems to respond to incidents of sexual harassment and sexual violence in schools.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department has taken to include sexual harassment alongside racist, homophobic and disability-based bullying in Ofsted and Government guidance.

Nadhim Zahawi: The department published detailed advice on sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools and colleges in December 2017, which was further updated and strengthened in May 2018. The advice is very clear about the systems schools should have in place to respond to reports of sexual violence and sexual harassment, including information about how to provide support to victims of abuse. To give this issue the prominence it deserves, we reflected key elements of this advice in a new section of our revised ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ (KCSIE) Guidance for schools and colleges published on 3 September 2018. In addition, KCSIE now includes a clear definition for all staff as to what sexual violence and sexual harassment look like. It also sets out the expectation that child protection policies should reflect a school’s approach to sexual violence and sexual harassment. KCSIE makes clear that all school staff should receive child protection and safeguarding training at their induction and this training should be regularly updated. In response to the findings in the Women and Equalities Committee report into sexual violence and sexual harassment in schools, we have updated and strengthened the Department for Education anti-bullying guidance. This was with the support and advice of the expert group that the department set up to support the commitments we made in the government response to the report. The update included inserting additional advice for schools on low-level sexualised behaviours. We also incorporated links to sources of further information on tackling sexual harassment and sexual bullying in schools. This sits alongside the existing information, already in the guidance, on racial bullying, LGBT based bullying and disability based bullying. We are also working to identify how we can best help schools to create an atmosphere of respect, which will reduce bullying behaviour. This will help schools deliver their range of existing equalities, behaviour, bullying and safeguarding duties in a way that minimises the burdens upon them. Ofsted guidance is a matter for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. I have asked her to write to hon. Member and a copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of both Houses.

Sex and Relationship Education: Pornography

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will amend the guidance on sex and relationship education to include teaching about pornography as recommended by the Report of the Women and Equalities Committee into sexual harassment and sexual violence in schools, published on 13 September 2016, HC 91.

Nick Gibb: The Department is making Relationships Education compulsory in all primary schools, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory in all secondary schools and Health Education compulsory for primary and secondary. The aim of RSE is to give young people the information they need to help them develop healthy, nurturing relationships of all kinds, not just intimate relationships. The draft guidance states that by the end of secondary school pupils should know how to distinguish between content and experiences that exemplify healthy relationships and those that are distorted or harmful. This also includes the danger of viewing harmful material online. The draft guidance (which will replace the Sex and Relationships Education guidance) and regulations are currently available for public consultation. The consultation closes on 7 November, and can be accessed via this link: https://consult.education.gov.uk/pshe/relationships-education-rse-health-education/.

Schools: Disability

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that adequate funding is available to schools to provide disability awareness training in line with their public sector equality duty.

Nadhim Zahawi: We fund schools to meet the needs of all their pupils. Core schools funding, for children and young people aged 5 to 16 (and up to 25 in the case of those with high needs) will rise to £43.5 billion by 2020. Head teachers are responsible for deciding how best to spend their budgets, for example to ensure that their staff are adequately trained.Schools have a range of duties under the Equality Act 2010, including the Public Sector Equality Duty. Disability awareness training would be one way in which schools can ensure that they meet those duties.

Disabled Students' Allowances

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 25 July 2018 to Question 165610 on Disabled Students' Allowances, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the decrease in the number of students taking up disabled students' allowances since the introduction of the £200 contribution for computer equipment.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The overall spend on Disabled Student Allowance (DSA) equipment was expected to fall because of the introduction of the £200 contribution for computers. Students are under no obligation to take up any support recommended: some may use their recommended assistive software on an existing laptop, whilst others may find that the accessibility options offered on standard software packages meet their needs. Students in receipt of DSAs continue to be funded for a suite of tools to suit their assessed needs in relation to their course, as well as additional non-IT support. The government is keen to better understand the impact of DSAs on eligible students, including that of recent DSAs reforms. The department has commissioned a research project to explore this, and will respond to the research findings when they are available.

Schools: Air Pollution

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what his Department’s policy is on creating new (a) schools and (b) nurseries in (i) air quality management areas and (ii) within 150 metres of roads that have levels of nitrogen dioxide which are illegal under the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010.

Nick Gibb: Outdoor air quality is the responsibility of each local authority who should ensure measures are in place to reduce emissions to meet national targets. The relevant local planning authority will determine the suitability of the proposed location for a new school. In addition, school building proposals may contain a range of measures to ensure that air quality is of a suitable or appropriate standard. Departmental guidance on indoor air quality in schools is included in the Building Bulletin 101. This promotes best practice and sets standards for levels of pollutants in classrooms. All new schools should comply with these standards.

Schools: Air Pollution

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to educate children about exposure to air pollution in the area around their school or nursery.

Nick Gibb: The geography curriculum includes content to help pupils “understand how human and physical processes interact to influence, and change landscapes, environments and the climate”. In covering these topics, teachers may choose to explore levels of pollution and their impact within their local area.There is also scope to teach about air pollution as part of the science curriculum. For example, in secondary schools, children are taught about the potential effects of increased levels of carbon dioxide and methane on the Earth’s climate and how we reduce these effects. Children in primary schools are taught topics including: changing environments, plants, and different materials.Teachers could choose to explore the effects of pollution on health as part of the science content about how bodies work – including, for example, the circulatory system and gas exchange systems.In addition, the Government is proposing to introduce compulsory health education in all primary and secondary state-funded schools. The focus of health education will be on teaching the characteristics of good physical health and mental wellbeing.

Schools

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to promote the school-as-community-hub model with integrated health, education and social care provision for children and family engagement outside the school day; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: New multi-agency arrangements were introduced through the Children and Social Work Act 2017, which set the framework for how the three safeguarding partners (police, health and local authorities) should work with other key agencies, including schools, to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in their area.Once designated as a relevant agency by the safeguarding partners, schools must comply with their local arrangements. Beyond this, it is up to schools to decide how best to operate in practice with health and social care services to provide support for pupils and their families and engage with the community more widely.The Government recognises that schools are well placed to act as a focus for collaborative delivery of early intervention services, an important part of maintaining children and young people’s engagement in education.An example of this will be the introduction of new mental health support teams as part of the proposals set out in the 'Transforming Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services' green paper. These teams will work collaboratively across schools, colleges and NHS mental health services to support children with emerging and moderate mental health issues and to boost preventative activity. The intention is that teams should work with other existing local authority, health and voluntary and community sector provision to ensure that children and young people receive the right support at the right time.

Pupil Premium: Carers

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has plans to ensure that young carers qualify for the pupil premium as a result of their status as a carer.

Nadhim Zahawi: Schools receive the pupil premium for pupils who are claiming free school meals (FSM) or who have claimed FSM at any point in the past six years. This is because we know that this is a good indicator of which pupils do not go on to achieve their full potential.We currently have no plans to expand the eligibility of the pupil premium to young carers.We recognise that young carers face particular challenges. With this in mind, we give school leaders freedom to use their pupil premium grant in any way they wish to meet the needs of their pupils. This means that they can use their share of the £2.4 billion pupil premium to support young carers in their school. Research with young carers aged 14 to 16 suggests that around 60% already attract the pupil premium through their eligibility for FSM.In addition, the government’s Carers Action Plan, published in June this year, sets out a range of government commitments to support young carers including improving identification, educational opportunities and access to support services.

16-19 Bursary Fund: Carers

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has plans to extend the 16-19 Bursary for vulnerable groups to young adult carers.

Anne Milton: It is very important that we make sure that young carers can participate in education and receive the support they need. However, financial need will vary significantly from family to family.The department keeps under review the use of the 16-19 bursary fund to inform our understanding of whether it is providing effective support to our most economically disadvantaged students.The defined vulnerable groups eligible for particular support from the 16-19 Bursary Fund are groups that generally do not receive financial support from their families. Young carers can receive help from the discretionary element of the 16-19 bursary fund, which is made available to education and training institutions. It is their role to determine which young people need bursaries and the level of financial support required to enable these students to participate.Young carers are able to discuss their particular needs with their school or college, which can then provide appropriate, individualised support. Government guidance for those institutions is very clear about the need to encourage young carers to apply for the bursary fund, reassuring them about confidentiality, and to considering whether they need extra help because of their caring responsibilities.

St Neots Learning Partnership

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has plans to publish the results of the Education and Skills Funding Agency investigation into St Neots Learning Partnership.

Nadhim Zahawi: It is the policy of the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) to publish all reports concerning investigations that it conducts at academy trusts. While the ESFA is currently working with the trust to resolve some issues regarding the governance and oversight of financial management by the board, it has not conducted, nor is conducting, any investigation and so there is no investigation report which can be published. The issues are set out in a Financial Notice to Improve which is publicly available on GOV.UK and can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/financial-notice-to-improve-st-neots-learning-partnership.

Pupil Premium

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, will he will make it his policy to extend the provisions of the pupil premium to disadvantaged students moving from secondary to further education.

Nadhim Zahawi: The national funding formula for 16 to 19 year olds includes extra funding for disadvantaged students. This is provided to institutions specifically for students with low prior attainment or for students who live in the most disadvantaged areas.In the period 2017 to 2018, around £520 million was allocated to provide extra support to disadvantaged students. We also provided student support funding to help disadvantaged young people to access education and training.

Further Education: Finance

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on funding for (a) post-16 education (b) skills training and (c) the further education sector after the UK leaves the EU.

Anne Milton: The department has had a number of discussions with ministerial colleagues on EU Exit, including on post-16 education and skills. Our reforms, and the funding behind them, will ensure that we have a first-class skills system which can deliver the skills that will enable individuals to thrive as the economy changes. This includes creating high quality apprenticeships, introducing T levels and developing a National Retraining Scheme to give adults the skills that they need in the new economy.

Schools: Assessments

Dr Paul Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of children eligible for free school meals reached a Good Level of Development at age five in Stockton South constituency in each of the last three years.

Nadhim Zahawi: The requested data is shown in Annex A, which is attached.The 2016/17 Early Years Foundation Stage Profile results show that the proportion of all children achieving a ‘good level of development’ is improving year on year – in 2017, 71% achieved a good level of development compared to 52% in 2013.The proportion of children eligible for free school meals (FSM) achieving a good level of development is also increasing year on year. In 2017, 56% achieved a good level of development compared to 36% in 2013. The gap between disadvantaged children (children eligible for FSM) and others achieving a good level of development continues to narrow. It decreased from 19% in 2013 to 17% in 2017.The department’s ambition is to provide equality of opportunity for every child, regardless of background or where they live. Good early years education is the cornerstone of social mobility and we are making record investment in this area, including providing 15 hours of free early education for disadvantaged two year olds and £100 million of investment through our ambitious social mobility action plan ‘Unlocking Talent, Fulfilling Potential’. 



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Gender Recognition

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he is taking steps to protect prospective adoptive parents from being barred because of conscientious objection to gender reassignment and gender recognition for under-18s; and if he will make a statement.

Nadhim Zahawi: The procedures for the recruitment and assessment of adopters are outlined in the Adoption Statutory Guidance, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/adoption-statutory-guidance-2013.Adoption agencies must not refuse to accept a registration of interest from prospective adopters on the grounds of, for example, that individual’s ethnicity, age, health, sexual orientation, religious beliefs or because they do not share the same ethnicity, culture or religious beliefs as the children waiting for an adoptive family.There are clear processes for prospective adopters to follow, if they wish to contest an adoption agency’s decision, including through the agency’s local complaints process or via the Independent Review Mechanism, depending on the stage of the process they had reached.

Pupils: Carers

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils in schools in (a) the North East of England and (b) England are young carers.

Nadhim Zahawi: The information requested is not held centrally on the number of pupils who are young carers. However, according to the 2011 Census, there are almost 166,000 young carers aged 5 to 17 in England, although estimates from other studies using different methodologies or question wording to identify carers are much higher. In January 2017 the Department for Education (DfE) published the omnibus survey report ‘The lives of young carers in England’ available on https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-lives-of-young-carers-in-england. This was a significant piece of research carried out by the department in partnership with Loughborough University looking to improve understanding of the numbers and needs of young carers and their families. The government is committed to supporting young carers - to improve their health and wellbeing, and to protect them from excessive or inappropriate caring responsibilities that can impact on their education. That is why earlier this year, we launched the cross-government 'Carers Action Plan': https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/713781/carers-action-plan-2018-2020.pdf. This is a two-year programme of tailored work to support unpaid carers of all ages, including specifically to support young carers. This includes plans to improve: identification of young carers; educational opportunities and outcomes; access to support and services; and transition for young adult carers. In delivering on these commitments, together with the Department for Health and Social Care, the DfE is currently inviting bids to undertake a review of best practice in identifying young carers. This action builds on significant changes to the law through the Children and Families Act 2014, to improve how young carers and their families are identified and supported.

Communication Skills: Children and Young People

Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has plans to undertake a cost benefit analysis of not identifying and supporting children and young people’s speech, language and communication needs and the interventions required for children and young people with those needs.

Nadhim Zahawi: The government fully recognises that children and young people with speech, communication and language needs must get the support they require. The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Code of Practice requires that local authorities, educational institutions and relevant others must appropriately identify those needs and put in place support to meet them.While the department has no current plans to undertake this specific analysis in developing policy to support such children and young people, the government takes account of available research and advice - for example, the ‘Bercow, Ten Years On’ report published in March this year, to which we will be responding shortly. I will also meet the All Party Parliamentary Group on Speech and Language Difficulties later this month.

Communication Skills: Pupil Premium

Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has plans to include communication and language as a focus of the next round of Pupil Premium Awards.

Nadhim Zahawi: The Pupil Premium Awards recognise excellent practice by schools in raising the attainment of disadvantaged pupils through use of pupil premium funding.Head teachers have discretion over how they spend the pupil premium as they are best placed to identify interventions that meet the needs of their pupils – which can include speech, language and communication barriers.We will be responding to this and the other recommendations of the 'Bercow: 10 Years On' report, shortly.

Students: Loans

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Written Statement of 10 October 2018 on Government Asset Sale, HCWS979, if he will publish the range of estimates his Department has made of the proceeds of the sale and place a copy of those estimates in the Library.

Mr Sam Gyimah: Pursuant to Section 4 of the Sale of Student Loans Act 2008, the government will report to Parliament on the sale arrangements and extent to which they gave good value within three months of the date of the transfer arrangements. A copy of that report will be placed in the House libraries. The government will proceed with the sale announced on 10 October 2018 only if market conditions remain favourable and if the final value for money assessment is positive.

Students: Loans

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Written Statement of 10 October 2018 on Government Asset Sale, HCWS979, what the value is of the student loan book that he plans to sell during the course of the 2017 Parliament.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The government only sells assets where it is value for money to do so and where there is no policy reason to continue to own them. The government’s objective when issuing loans to students is to allow them to pursue their education regardless of their personal financial situation. Once this objective has been met, retaining the loans on the government’s balance sheet serves no further policy purpose. The face value of the tranche of the pre-2012 English student loan book sold in December 2017 was £3.5 billion. The sale raised £1.7 billion in aggregate proceeds – exceeding the HM Treasury Green Book valuation of the loans. The face value of the student loans in scope for the sale announced by Written Ministerial Statement (HCWS979) on 10 October 2018 is £3.9 billion. The government will proceed with this sale or any future sale from the pre-2012 loan book - only if market conditions remain favourable and if the final value for money assessment is positive.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Sheep Meat: Wales

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what additional support his Department plans to provide to Welsh lamb exporters in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

David Rutley: As agricultural policy in the UK is devolved, it is for each administration to decide its approach and what measures it should adopt according to its evaluation of the situation. Accordingly, it would not be appropriate for DEFRA to comment on the approach that the devolved administrations may take.

Poultry Meat

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what contingency plans are being made to ensure the availability of non-UK workers in the poultry sector in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal; and what estimate the Government has made of the potential change in the price of chicken in the UK in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

David Rutley: The Government recognises the concerns of stakeholders and is determined to get the best deal for the UK in our negotiations to leave the EU, including for our world-leading poultry sector.The Government wants to ensure that decisions on longer-term immigration arrangements are based on a clear and transparent evidence base. The work of Migration Advisory Commission (MAC) assessing the role that EU citizens play in the UK economy and society, and how to align future immigration framework with modern industrial strategy, is a key part of this.The Home Office will carefully consider the MAC’s recommendations before setting out further detail on the UK’s future immigration system. They plan to publish a White Paper on the post-EU exit border and immigration system in the autumn.We are determined to secure a deep and comprehensive free trade deal with the European Union that provides for frictionless, tariff-free trade. But it is the job of a responsible Government to prepare for all scenarios, including the unlikely event that we reach March 2019 without agreeing a deal. In that regard we are conducting rigorous analysis of the full range of UK-EU trade scenarios on UK agriculture (including the poultry sector) as part of our planning.

Pet Travel Scheme

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 4 September to Question 167837, what the different options are for pet travel to the EU that are being considering in the event of (a) a planned withdrawal from the EU and (b) the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

David Rutley: As part of the negotiations on the draft Withdrawal Agreement, the UK and EU have reached an agreement in principle on the terms of a time-limited implementation period. The rules governing pet travel would continue to apply throughout any implementation period. In the meantime, we are also putting in place contingency arrangements in the event of a no-deal outcome, which are set out in the Technical Notice “Taking your pet abroad if there’s no Brexit deal”. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/taking-your-pet-abroad-if-theres-no-brexit-deal We are working to ensure pet owners continue to travel to and from the EU with the minimum of disruption, whilst maintaining biosecurity and welfare standards. There may be changes to the system, the extent of any potential changes will depend on the outcome of negotiations.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Brexit

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 13 March 2018 on Spring Statement, HCWS540, how much of that funding he has allocated to (a) programmes, (b) administration and (c) staffing in his Department.

George Eustice: HM Treasury has allocated over £2 billion of additional funding to departments and the Devolved Administrations for EU exit preparations so far. This breaks down as: £412 million of additional funding over the spending review period for the Department for Exiting the European Union, Department for International Trade and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office at Autumn Statement 2016. £286 million of additional funding for 17/18 (a full breakdown of which can be found in Supplementary Estimates 17/18)https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/679738/PU2137_Supplementary_estimates_web.pdf. Over £1.5 billion of additional funding for 18/19. A full breakdown of which can be found in the Chief Secretary’s Written Ministerial Statement, HCWS540, laid on the 13th March (https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-03-13/HCWS540/) The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was allocated £310 million for costs arising as the UK leaves the EU in the Spring Statement 2018. Of this additional funding around £160 million has been allocated to cover staff pay requirements. The final breakdown between programme and administration spend will be confirmed in the Supplementary Estimates.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Brexit

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the report of the National Audit Office, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Progress in Implementing EU Exit, HC 1948, published on 12 September 2018, how many work streams preparing for a no-deal scenario his Department has (a) not yet started and (b) assessed to be behind schedule.

David Rutley: All identified projects have commenced. 5 out of 55 projects with March 19 deliverables are currently assessed to be behind schedule. All projects are monitored closely and remedial action is taken where required.

Animals: Exports

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure it can process in a timely manner the increased volume of export health certificates in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

David Rutley: We will this autumn complete an upgrading of the current system used in Carlisle for processing Export Health Certificates (EHCs). This upgrade will increase the volume that can be processed, as well as the system’s robustness and resilience. It will still rely on manual input and recruitment of people started in July. Stakeholder engagement is already underway. Guidance and training will be carried out before the end of 2018. As a result we are confident that we will have the ability to process the increase in numbers of EHCs that may materialise. We are also building a new digital system that will be more automated. This will be completed as close to March 2019 as possible. This will have the potential to be developed into a full e-certification system in time. We have analysed the capacity of the veterinary market to respond to an increase in demand for export health certificates. Feedback from suppliers of certification services is that they are making preparations and that the market will meet the demand. Private suppliers have a regular pipeline of recruitment and can increase this relatively quickly.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: ICT

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the potential cost of implementing new IT systems for (a) implementing the UK’s chemical regulatory regime and (b) control and enforcement activities in English fishing waters in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: As we prepare to leave the EU, we will undertake all the necessary measures to build or strengthen IT systems to accommodate the changes needed, for example to support the UK’s chemical regulatory regime and control and enforcement activities in English fishing waters. HM Treasury has allocated over £2 billion of additional funding to departments and the Devolved Administrations for EU exit preparations so far. All UK Government spend is subject to HM Treasury spending controls and value for money criteria and is publically available in annual reports and accounts.

Whisky: Scotland

Douglas Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to support the Scotch whisky industry.

David Rutley: Government support of the Scotch Whisky industry is through both government policy and engagement with the industry, notably the Scotch Whisky Association. We fully recognise the added value given to Scotch Whisky by its registration as a Geographical Indication (GI). The EU (Withdrawal) Act and legislation made under it will establish in domestic law the framework of rules that govern the EU GI scheme for spirit drinks; this will ensure that all UK GIs, including Scotch Whisky, enjoy continued protection in the UK after we leave. Through engaging closely with the Scotch Whisky Association my officials have secured some important amendments to the proposed replacement EU Spirit Drinks Regulation and will continue to work closely with the Association on this. The government is aware of the contribution that the Scotch Whisky industry makes to the economy and employment. Her Majesty’s Treasury are responsible for duty on alcoholic beverages and the Chancellor keeps all taxes under review at fiscal events. The government is committed to supporting the Scotch Whisky industry. The freeze in spirits duty announced in November 2017 means a bottle of Scotch is 24p cheaper than had it risen by inflation, and the average tax charged on a bottle of Scotch in 2018 is estimated to be £1.15 lower than it otherwise would have been since ending the spirits duty escalator in 2014. In respect of international trade priorities, through the Food is GREAT campaign, we will continue profiling Scotch Whisky overseas and engaging with the industry.

Biofuels: Timber

Stephen Kerr: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the (a) volume and (b) proportion of domestic wood production that has been used for fuel purposes in each of the last five years.

David Rutley: The Forestry Commission published these data in ‘Forestry Statistics 2018’. Table 1Deliveries of UK grown softwood, 2013-2017  thousand green tonnes YearWoodfuelDeliveries to all markets% of total deliveries used by energy markets 20131,25010,54712 20141,50010,90314 20151,60010,26516 20161,55010,41915 20171,60010,47815  Source: industry surveys, industry associations. Notes:Woodfuel derived from stemwood. Includes estimates of roundwood use for biomass energy. The figures are estimated by the Expert Group on Timber and Trade Statistics, and make use of wood fuel data reported in the Private Sector Softwood Removals Survey.Includes shavings and poles. Quantities for some uses are estimates by the Expert Group on Timber and Trade Statistics.  Table 2Deliveries of UK grown hardwood, 2013-2017 thousand green tonnes  YearWoodfuelDeliveries to all markets% of total deliveries used by energy markets 201340053275 201440053774 201540056671 201640059767 201760073881  Source: industry surveys, industry associations. Notes:Figures are based on processing industries' purchases of hardwood grown in the UK and estimates for woodfuel and other uses.Woodfuel reported here is derived from stemwood and includes estimated roundwood use for biomass energy.The apparent increase woodfuel from 2016 to 2017 reflects a new estimate of the level of hardwood deliveries for woodfuel and should not be interpreted as an increase in a single year. This figure is currently under review.Other includes round fencing and roundwood exports.

Timber

Stephen Kerr: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the (a) volume and (b) proportion of (i) virgin wood and (ii) waste wood used in the UK in each of the last five years; and what proportion of each were (A) domestically produced and (B) imported.

David Rutley: UK production, imports, exports and apparent consumption are shown in Table 1. Around 80% of wood used in the UK is imported. The volume of waste wood delivered to market is shown in Table 2. Data on the volume and proportion of recycled [waste] wood used over the last 5 years that has been imported is not held. The majority of wood and wood products imported are made from virgin wood. Table 1. Volume of wood consumed in the UK (millions of cubic meters of Wood Raw Material Equivalent). YearUK production2 ImportsExportsApparent consumption% of wood consumed that is imported201310.842.26.246.877201411.2474.853.479201510.649.34.155.881201610.849.63.856.581201710.950.34.25781 Table 2. Deliveries of recycled wood to wood processing and energy markets.  Total deliveries of recycled wood (thousands of tonnes)Deliveries of recycled wood (thousands of tonnes) used in panels productionDeliveries of recycled wood (thousands of tonnes) used for woodfuel20131,68385383020142,1528121,34020152,3028521,45020162,3888381,55020172,5839231,660 Source: Forestry Statistics 2018 (Forestry Commission, September 2018)Based on data from: industry surveys, industry associations, UK overseas trade statistics (HM Revenue & Customs) and conversion factors to Wood Raw Material Equivalent (WRME) Notes:Excludes recovered paper.UK production of roundwood is estimated from deliveries to wood processing industries and others.

Timber

Stephen Kerr: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the available supply of UK-sourced virgin and waste wood that has been used for (a) wood panel manufacturing, (b) sawmill products, (c) paper manufacturing and (d) wood fuel in each of the last five years.

David Rutley: This data is published in Forestry Statistics 2018. Table 1Inputs to Wood-based Panel Mills, 2013-2017thousand green tonnesYearUK roundwood1Sawmill productsImports2Recycled wood fibre3,4Total20131,2631,70908533,82520141,2831,80908123,90420151,3341,687178523,89020161,2481,749398383,87420171,0591,726229233,730 Source: Forestry Statistics 2018 (Forestry Commission, September 2018),based on data from: Wood Panel Industries Federation Notes:UK roundwood derived from stemwood.Imports include roundwood, wood products and products from imported wood.Recycled wood fibre is wood fibre recovered from both pre- and post-consumer wood waste for use in woodbased panel production. It comprises wood originally grown in the UK and wood originally grown in forests outside the UK.Quantities are as delivered, with an assumed average moisture content of 25%. To convert to green tonnes (assuming moisture content of 52%), multiply by 1.56.   Table 2Inputs to Wood-based Panel Mills, 2013-2017thousand green tonnesYearUK roundwood1Sawmill productsImports2Recycled wood fibre3,4Total20131,2631,70908533,82520141,2831,80908123,90420151,3341,687178523,89020161,2481,749398383,87420171,0591,726229233,730 Source: Forestry Statistics 2018 (Forestry Commission, September 2018),based on data from: Wood Panel Industries Federation Notes:UK roundwood derived from stemwood. Imports include roundwood, wood products and products from imported wood. Recycled wood fibre is wood fibre recovered from both pre- and post-consumer wood waste for use in woodbased panel production. It comprises wood originally grown in the UK and wood originally grown in forests outside the UK. Quantities are as delivered, with an assumed average moisture content of 25%. To convert to green tonnes (assuming moisture content of 52%), multiply by 1.56.  Table 3 Inputs for the integrated pulp & paper mills1, 2013-2017thousand green tonnesYearUK roundwood2Sawmill productsTotal2013465835482014465975622015435101536201642382505201744261503Source: Forestry Statistics 2018 (Forestry Commission, September 2018),based on data from: UK Forest Products Association Notes:Excludes inputs of recycled paper and cardboard. All inputs are softwood. UK roundwood derived from stemwood.Table 4Inputs for woodfuel1, 2013-2017Thousand green tonnesYearUK roundwood1,2Sawmill products3Recycled wood4,5,6Total20131,6503028302,78220141,9004391,3403,67920152,0005341,4503,98420161,9506241,5504,12420172,2007051,6604,565 Source: Forestry Statistics 2018 (Forestry Commission, September 2018),based on data from: industry surveys, industry associations, Wood Recyclers Association. Notes:Woodfuel derived from stemwood. Includes estimates of roundwood use for biomass energy. The figures are estimated by the Expert Group on Timber and Trade Statistics, and make use of wood fuel data reported in the Private Sector Softwood Removals Survey. The apparent increase in woodfuel from 2016 to 2017 partially reflects a new estimate of the level of hardwood deliveries for woodfuel and should not be interpreted as an increase in a single year. This figure is currently under review. Material reported as sales/use for woodfuel by sawmills and round fencing manufacturers, but may have been used for other purposes.Post consumer recovered wood, comprising wood originally grown in the UK and wood originally grown in forests outside the UK.Figures for 2014 to 2017 relate to capacity, rather than consumption.Quantities are as delivered, with an assumed average moisture content of 25%. To convert to green tonnes (assuming moisture content of 52%), multiply by 1.56.

Timber

Stephen Kerr: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the (a) proportion and (b) volume of domestic forestry stock being sold in the UK in the next 10 years.

Stephen Kerr: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the security of wood supply in the UK will reach its peak based on current levels of new forestry planting; and if he will make a statement.

David Rutley: The Forestry Commission publish availability forecasts for softwood and hardwood. The proportion of this resource that reaches market will depend on market conditions and the wishes of those that own woodland. In the period 2013 – 2016 annual softwood production varied between 13 and 14 million m3 over bark standing compared to a forecast availability of 16.5 millon m3 over bark standing. Softwood production in 2017 was 13.3 million m3 over bark standing compared to a forecast availability of 17.1 million m3 over bark standing. The 2014 forecast of softwood availability for the forest estate in Great Britain is an average of 15.2 million m3 over bark standing per annum over the next 50 years. This availability exceeds current production levels. Current forecasts do not take into account timber that will become available from woodlands that have been recently established and will be established in the near future. Softwood availability is forecast to reach 18.4 million m3 over bark standing in the period 2027 – 2031. Hardwood availability is forecast to reach 3 million m3 over bark standing in 2042 – 2046. Current forecasts do not take into account timber that will become available from woodlands that have been recently established and will be established in the near future.   Table 1Roundwood availability forecaststhousand cubic metres overbark standingAnnual average in the periodEnglandWalesScotlandGreat BritainTotal softwood2013 - 20164,5771,9839,92816,4872017 - 20214,5551,94010,65617,1512022 - 20264,1131,98211,34617,4422027 - 20314,1451,55312,70018,3982032 - 20363,9161,67012,06217,6492037 - 20413,2371,47311,06915,7792042 - 20462,9031,0219,25713,1812047 - 20512,5371,1068,26611,9092052 - 20562,2591,2298,56612,0542057 - 20612,8531,3737,96612,193Total hardwood 2013 - 201624932923732017 - 2021425581486312022 - 2026648942039452027 - 20318061122441,1622032 - 20369231302771,3302037 - 20411,1761713911,7382042 - 20462,1042996163,0192047 - 20511,7952467152,7552052 - 20561,3882275992,2142057 - 20617911674061,364 Source: National Forest Inventory: 50-year forecast of softwood availability (Forestry Commission, April 2014), National Forest Inventory: 50-year forecast of hardwood availability (Forestry Commission, April 2014)Notes:The estate of the Forestry Commission and Natural Resources Wales is assumed to be managed according to current management plans; note both Forestry Commission Scotland and Natural Resources Wales intend to cap production below the level set out in this table.For softwood, private woodland is assumed to be managed in a way that maximises total production. More recent softwood availability forecasts, covering a 25 year period only, are available from the NFI web pages at:www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/national-forest-inventory/In private woodland, hardwood harvesting is assumed to be limited to areas with evidence of recent thinning activity. If these woodlands were managed to maximise total production, the forecast would be much higher, as illustrated in the full National Forest Inventory report available at:www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/national-forest-inventory/ An update to these figures is due to be published in 2020. To convert ‘overbark standing’ into green tonnes multiply by 0.818 (for softwood) and by 0.900 (for hardwood).

Timber

Stephen Kerr: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of trends in the price of (a) virgin and (b) waste wood in the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

David Rutley: The Forestry Commission publish timber prices indices based on sales of sawlogs and standing timber from the public forest estate. No assessment of trends in the price of waste wood is made. The Forestry Commission Timber Price Indices are available online: https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/statistics/statistics-by-topic/timber-statistics/timber-price-indices/

Timber

Stephen Kerr: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the environmental effect of burning wood as an energy fuel source; and if he will make a statement.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Domestic wood and coal burning are the single largest contributors to our harmful particulate matter (PM) emissions. These sources accounted for 38% of total PM2.5 emissions in 2016 and are forecast to account for 41% by 2020. A wood burning stove can emit more PM than a diesel HGV or passenger car. On 22 May 2018 we published our draft Clean Air Strategy for England for consultation. The strategy includes plans to introduce new environmental legislation which will ensure only the cleanest domestic fuels will be available for sale and only the cleanest stoves will be available to buy and install in England. Cleaner fuels and stoves produce less smoke, less soot and more heat. On 17 August 2018 we published a further detailed consultation on our proposals to phase out sales of the most polluting domestic fuels in England. Ahead of introducing new legislation my Department has been working with industry sectors to introduce voluntary initiatives. This has seen the introduction of Ecodesign Ready labelling by the stove industry in February 2017, which brings in emission standards ahead of the EU Regulatory deadline of 2022. We have also worked with the wood fuel industry on the Ready to Burn scheme which was launched in autumn 2017 (https://www.readytoburn.org/). The scheme informs consumers about the importance of using clean, quality wood-fuel to improve air quality which will reduce harmful emissions. In addition, my Department has also been working with other industry sectors, such as chimney sweep organisations to provide advice to consumers in their own homes. This has resulted in an informative website (https://burnright.co.uk/) which provides clear advice on the procedures to follow when lighting a stove to minimise smoke emissions. The UK uses internationally agreed sustainable forest management principles to ensure that only sustainably sourced wood – from both domestic and international suppliers - is used as fuel. Around 42% of woodland in the UK is currently not under active management, and increased demand for wood fuel is helping to bring more woodland into active management under the UK Forestry Standard, which helps to drive improved habitats and biodiversity, as well as improved tree health and increased resilience to climate change.

Fly-tipping

Laura Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of banning cash transactions from the waste collection sector to help reduce organised fly-tipping.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Cash is extremely important in the lives of many people and businesses. The vast majority of traders and businesses accepting payments in cash will do so honestly. However, in some cases, the anonymous and untraceable nature of cash transactions is perceived to facilitate illicit waste collection that leads to fly-tipping. The increasing use of digital payments and reduction in the use of cash could help prevent fly-tipping. However, the increase in digital payments may only have a limited impact, if the dishonest minority continue to use cash to hide or suppress their income. As part of the Resources and Waste Strategy we will set out our plans to review the waste carriers, brokers and dealers regime to ensure that those who are part of that trade fully understand their duties and responsibilities and do not fly-tip waste while acting under the veil of legitimacy. This work will build on lessons learned in other parts of the economy such as the use of cashless payments to purchase scrap metal. This measure was introduced as part of the Scrap Metal Dealers act in 2013 which was reviewed last year by the Home Office.

Air Pollution

Neil Parish: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to (a) amend the Clean Air Act 1993 or (b) repeal that Act and include its provisions in the primary legislation proposed in the Government’s Clean Air Strategy.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: On 18 July the Prime Minister announced that the Government will bring forward the first Environment Bill in over 20 years. This will incorporate a range of issues including improving air quality and builds on the vision set out in our 25 Year Environment Plan. As we develop these proposals, we will consider the best way to reform the existing legislative framework.

Pâté de foie gras

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the benefits to animal welfare of preventing (a) non-anaesthetised castration, (b) dehorning, (c) live plucking and (d) force feeding for foie gras in the agricultural sector.

David Rutley: We have some of the highest standards of animal welfare and these will not be watered down when we leave the EU. Procedures which are considered to cause unnecessary suffering, such as live plucking and force feeding, are not practiced in the UK as they are prohibited by the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Procedures which can be performed on farmed animal species, such as castration and dehorning, are tightly regulated through the Mutilations (Permitted Procedures) (England) Regulations 2007. Where procedures can be performed, it must be done in such a way as to minimise the pain and suffering it causes to the animal. This law also sets requirements on the use of anaesthetics. Our expert committee, the Farm Animal Welfare Committee, which advises Defra and the Devolved Administrations in Scotland and Wales on the welfare of farmed animals has provided advice on a wide range of subjects including various procedures performed on farmed animals.

Circuses: Animal Welfare

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on introducing legislation to ban the use of wild animals in circuses.

David Rutley: The Government remains committed to banning the use of wild animals in circuses and intends to ensure the necessary legislation is introduced by January 2020, when the current licensing regulations protecting the welfare of wild animals in circuses expire.

Food

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many meetings, Henry Dimbleby, non-executive director responsible for the development of the Government’s food strategy has had with (a) business representatives, (b) civil society organisations, (c) health experts, (d) local authorities and (e) farmers on the development of that strategy between January 2018 and August 2018.

David Rutley: As one of Defra’s Non-Executive Directors Henry Dimbleby has had engagement with a wide range of stakeholders that are relevant to Defra’s policy areas, including the food strategy.

Food

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to consult with members of the public on the development of the Government’s food strategy.

David Rutley: When we are outside the EU, we will publish a new food strategy for Britain. We will of course consult widely and seek views from consumers and stakeholders from across the food chain.

Nutrition

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will include in his Department's Family Food publication the proportion of disposable income by household income decile required to follow the Eatwell Guide.

George Eustice: Under the Code of Practice for Official Statistics, departments are required to publish in full the results of official surveys, and the Family Food report and associated datasets fulfil this requirement. With a dataset as rich as Family Food there is a wide and substantial range of potential secondary analyses that could be produced with it, on its own or combined with other published official statistics data. The raw Family Food survey dataset, as well as many other government survey data, is made available on the UK Data Service to researchers wanting to carry out their own analysis. An Eatwell Guide analysis was recently produced by the Food Foundation in this way.

Food Poverty

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 6 July 2018 to Question 160764 on Food Poverty: Surveys, if he will establish annual national measurements of food insecurity.

David Rutley: The underlying causes of food insecurity are complex and multi-faceted and it is not possible or practical to try and measure it with a single indicator. There are however, several established data sources which measure the level of food security in the UK. The biennial FSA “Food and You” survey asks questions on household food insecurity. The ONS Living Cost of Food Survey (LCFS) includes questions on household spend on food, including that of the lowest 20% income households. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), “Voices of the Hungry” project developed the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES), which also collects data on household food security in up to 150 countries worldwide, including the UK via the Gallup World Poll Defra officials will continue to engage with colleagues from ONS and other Government Departments on the range of work being undertaken to measure household food insecurity and address the underlying factors.

Whisky: Scotland

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the contribution of the Scotch whisky industry to employment in the food and drink sector.

David Rutley: My department has not made an assessment that looks specifically at the contribution that the Scotch Whisky industry makes to employment in the food and drink sector. Nonetheless we work closely with the industry, particularly the Scotch Whisky Association, who in 2015 published a report which found that the Scotch Whisky industry supports over 40,000 UK jobs, including over 10,000 employed directly by the industry in Scotland. Through close engagement with the industry and assessment of empirical data such as trade statistics, excise duty and VAT, HM Government is fully aware of the large contribution that Scotch Whisky makes to both the Scottish and wider UK economy.

Animals: Exports

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, through which EU veterinary border inspection posts will live animals from the UK be able to pass into the EU in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal; and through which EU ports live animals from the UK can currently pass through.

David Rutley: The European Commission approves Border Inspection Post facilities in the EU, including those that accommodate certain live animals. The below annex is taken from the current published list. Currently, there are no restrictions on ports where live animals from the UK can enter the EU. AnnexKey:U - Ungulates: cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, wild and domestic solipedsE – equineO - Other animals (including zoo animals)Страна: БЕЛГИЯ – Země: BELGIE – Land: BELGIEN – Land: BELGIEN – Riik: BELGIA – Χώρα: ΒΕΛΓΙΟ – Country: BELGIUM – País: BÉLGICA – Pays: BELGIQUE – Paese: BELGIO – Valsts: BEĻĢIJA – Šalis: BELGIJA – Ország: BELGIUM – Pajjiż: BELĠJU – Land: BELGIË – Kraj: BELGIA – País: BÉLGICA – Țara: BELGIA – Krajina: BELGICKO – Država: BELGIJA – Maa: BELGIA – Land: BELGIEN123456Antwerpen AnversBE ANR 1PKaai 650HC, NHC  KalloHC, NHC Brussel–Zaventem Bruxelles–ZaventemBE BRU 4AFlight CareHC-T(2) Flight Care 2NHC(2)U, E, OAvia PartnerHC-T(2) WFSHC-T(2) Swiss PortHC-T(2) Gent GandBE GNE 1P HC-NT(6), NHC-NT(6) Liège LuikBE LGG 4A HC, NHC-NT(2), NHC-T(FR)U, E, OOostende OstendeBE OST 4AIC-1HC(2) IC-2 EZeebrugge ZeebrugesBE ZEE 1POCHZHC(2), NHC(2) Страна: БЪЛГАРИЯ – Země: BULHARSKO – Land: BULGARIEN – Land: BULGARIEN – Riik: BULGAARIA – Χώρα: ΒΟΥΛΓΑΡΙΑ – Country: BULGARIA – País: BULGARIA – Pays: BULGARIE – Paese: BULGARIA – Valsts: BULGĀRIJA – Šalis: BULGARIJA – Ország: BULGÁRIA – Pajjiż: BULGARIJA – Land: BULGARIJE – Kraj: BUŁGARIA – País: BULGÁRIA – Țara: BULGARIA – Krajina: BULHARSKO – Država: BOLGARIJA – Maa: BULGARIA – Land: BULGARIEN123456BregovoBG BRE 3R HC(2), NHC BurgasBG BOJ 1P HC(2), NHC GjushevoBG GJE 3R HC(2), NHC KalotinaBG KAL 3R HC(2), NHCU, E, OKapitan AndreevoBG KAN 3R HC, NHCU, E, OSofiaBG SOF 4A HC(2), NHC(2)E, OVarnaBG VAR 1P HC(2), NHC ZlatarevoBG ZLA 3R HC(2), NHC Страна: ЧЕШКА РЕПУБЛИКА – Země: ČESKÁ REPUBLIKA – Land: TJEKKIET – Land: TSCHECHISCHE REPUBLIK – Riik: TŠEHHI VABARIIK – Χώρα: ΤΣΕΧΙΚΗ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ – Country: CZECH REPUBLIC – País: REPÚBLICA CHECA – Pays: RÉPUBLIQUE TCHÈQUE – Paese: REPUBBLICA CECA – Valsts: ČEHIJA – Šalis: ČEKIJOS RESPUBLIKA – Ország: CSEH KÖZTÁRSASÁG – Pajjiż: REPUBBLIKA ĊEKA – Land: TSJECHIË – Kraj: REPUBLIKA CZESKA – País: REPÚBLICA CHECA – Țara: REPUBLICA CEHĂ – Krajina: ČESKÁ REPUBLIKA – Država: ČEŠKA – Maa: TŠEKKI – Land: TJECKIEN123456Praha-RuzyněCZ PRG 4A HC(2), NHC-T(CH)(2), NHC-NT(2)E, OСтрана: ДАНИЯ – Země: DÁNSKO – Land: DANMARK – Land: DÄNEMARK – Riik: TAANI – Χώρα: ΔΑΝIΑ – Country: DENMARK – País: DINAMARCA – Pays: DANEMARK – Paese: DANIMARCA – Valsts: DĀNIJA – Šalis: DANIJA – Ország: DÁNIA – Pajjiż: DANIMARKA – Land: DENEMARKEN – Kraj: DANIA – País: DINAMARCA – Țara: DANEMARCA – Krajina: DÁNSKO – Država: DANSKA – Maa: TANSKA – Land: DANMARK123456Aalborg 1 (Greenland Port) 1DK AAL 1aP HC-T(FR)(1)(2) Aalborg 2 (Greenland Port)DK AAL 1bP HC(2), NHC(2) ÅrhusDK AAR 1P HC(1)(2), NHC-T(FR) NHC-NT(2)(11) EsbjergDK EBJ 1P HC-T(FR)(1)(2), NHC-T(FR)(2), NHC-NT(11) FredericiaDK FRC 1P HC(1)(2), NHC(2), NHC-NT(11) HanstholmDK HAN 1P HC-T(FR)(1)(3) HirtshalsDK HIR 1PCentre 1HC-T(FR)(1)(2) Centre 2HC-T(FR)(1)(2)BillundDK BLL 4A HC-T(1)(2), NHC(2)U, E, OKøbenhavnDK CPH 4ACentre 1, SAS 1 (North)HC(1)(2), NHC (*) Centre 2, SAS 2 (East)HC (*), NHC(2) Centre 3 U, E, OKøbenhavnDK CPH 1P HC(1), NHC-T(FR), NHC-NT KoldingDK KOL 1P NHC(11) SkagenDK SKA 1P HC-(FR)(1)(2)(3) Страна: ГЕРМАНИЯ – Země: NĚMECKO – Land: TYSKLAND – Land: DEUTSCHLAND – Riik: SAKSAMAA – Χώρα: ΓΕΡΜΑΝIΑ – Country: GERMANY – País: ALEMANIA – Pays: ALLEMAGNE – Paese: GERMANIA – Valsts: VĀCIJA – Šalis: VOKIETIJA – Ország: NÉMETORSZÁG – Pajjiż: ĠERMANJA – Land: DUITSLAND – Kraj: NIEMCY – País: ALEMANHA – Țara: GERMANIA – Krajina: NEMECKO – Država: NEMČIJA – Maa: SAKSA – Land: TYSKLAND123456Berlin–TegelDE TXL 4A HC(2), NHCOBrakeDE BKE 1P NHC-NT(4) BremenDE BRE 1P HC, NHC BremerhavenDE BRV 1P HC, NHC CuxhavenDE CUX 1PIC 1HC-T(FR)(3) IC 2HC-T(FR)(3) DüsseldorfDE DUS 4A HC(2), NHT-T(CH)(2) NHC-NT(2)OFrankfurt/MainDE FRA 4A HC, NHCU, E, OHahn AirportDE HNH 4A HC(2), NHC(2)OHamburg FlughafenDE HAM 4A HC, NHCOHamburg HafenDE HAM 1PBurchardkaiHC, NHC-NT, NHC-T(FR) Frigo AltenwerderHC ReiherdammHC, NHC-T(FR), NHC-NT Hannover–LangenhagenDE HAJ 4A HC(2), NHC(2)OKielDE KEL 1P HC, NHC KölnDE CGN 4A HC(2), NHC(2)OLeipzig-Halle FlughafenDE LEJ 4A HC(2), NHC(2)U, E, OLübeckDE LBC 1P HC, NHCE(14)MünchenDE MUC 4A HC(2), NHC(2)ORostockDE RSK 1P HC, NHCU, E, ORügenDE MUK 1P HC(3) SchönefeldDE SXF 4A HC(2), NHC(2)U, E, OStuttgartDE STR 4A HC(2), NHC(2)OСтрана: ЕСТОНИЯ – Země: ESTONSKO – Land: ESTLAND – Land: ESTLAND – Riik: EESTI – Χώρα: ΕΣΘΟΝIΑ – Country: ESTONIA – País: ESTONIA – Pays: ESTONIE – Paese: ESTONIA – Valsts: IGAUNIJA – Šalis: ESTIJA – Ország: ÉSZTORSZÁG – Pajjiż: ESTONJA – Land: ESTLAND – Kraj: ESTONIA – País: ESTÓNIA – Țara: ESTONIA – Krajina: ESTÓNSKO – Država: ESTONIJA – Maa: VIRO – Land: ESTLAND123456LuhamaaEE LHM 3R HC, NHCU, EMuugaEE MUG 1PIC 1HC, NHC-T(FR), NHC-NT AS RefetraHC-T(FR)(2) NarvaEE NAR 3R HC, NHC-NT PaldiskiEE PLS 1P HC(2), NHC-NT(2) Страна: ИРЛАНДИЯ – Země: IRSKO – Land: IRLAND – Land: IRLAND – Riik: IIRIMAA – Χώρα: ΙΡΛΑΝΔIΑ – Country: IRELAND – País: IRLANDA – Pays: IRLANDE – Paese: IRLANDA – Valsts: ĪRIJA – Šalis: AIRIJA – Ország: ÍRORSZÁG – Pajjiż: IRLANDA – Land: IERLAND – Kraj: IRLANDIA – País: IRLANDA – Țara: IRLANDA – Krajina: ÍRSKO – Država: IRSKA – Maa: IRLANTI – Land: IRLAND123456Dublin AirportIE DUB 4A  E, ODublin PortIE DUB 1P HC(2), NHC ShannonIE SNN 4A HC(2), NHC(2)U, E, OСтрана: ГЪРЦИЯ – Země: ŘECKO – Land: GRÆKENLAND – Land: GRIECHENLAND – Riik: KREEKA – Χώρα: ΕΛΛAΣ – Country: GREECE – País: GRECIA – Pays: GRÈCE – Paese: GRECIA – Valsts: GRIEĶIJA – Šalis: GRAIKIJA – Ország: GÖRÖGORSZÁG – Pajjiż: GREĊJA – Land: GRIEKENLAND – Kraj: GRECJA – País: GRÉCIA – Țara: GRECIA – Krajina: GRÉCKO – Država: GRČIJA – Maa: KREIKKA – Land: GREKLAND123456EvzoniGR EVZ 3R HC, NHC-NTU, E, OAthens International AirportGR ATH 4A HC(2), NHC-NT(2)U, E, OIdomeniGR EID 2F  U, EKakaviaGR KKV 3R HC(2), NHC-NT Neos KafkassosGR NKF 2F HC(2), NHC-NTU, ENeos KafkassosGR NKF 3R HC, NHC-NTU, EPeplosGR PEP 3R HC(2), NHC-NTEPireasGR PIR 1P HC(2), NHC-NT ThessalonikiGR SKG 4A HC-T(CH)(2), NHC-NTOThessalonikiGR SKG 1P HC(2), NHC-NT Страна: ИСПАНИЯ – Země: ŠPANĚLSKO – Land: SPANIEN – Land: SPANIEN – Riik: HISPAANIA – Χώρα: ΙΣΠΑΝIΑ – Country: SPAIN – País: ESPAÑA – Pays: ESPAGNE – Paese: SPAGNA – Valsts: SPĀNIJA – Šalis: ISPANIJA – Ország: SPANYOLORSZÁG – Pajjiż: SPANJA – Land: SPANJE – Kraj: HISZPANIA – País: ESPANHA – Țara: SPANIA – Krajina: ŠPANIELSKO – Država: ŠPANIJA – Maa: ESPANJA – Land: SPANIEN123456A Coruña–LaxeES LCG 1PA CoruñaHC, NHC LaxeHC AlgecirasES ALG 1PProductosHC, NHC Animales U, E, OAlicanteES ALC 4A HC(2), NHC(2)OAlicanteES ALC 1P HC, NHC-NT Almería (*)ES LEI 4A HC(2), NHC(2) (*)O (*)AlmeríaES LEI 1P HC, NHC-NT AsturiasES AST 4A HC(2) BarcelonaES BCN 4AIberiaHC(2), NHC-T(CH)(2), NHC-NT(2)OFlightcareHC(2), NHC(2)OBarcelonaES BCN 1P HC, NHC BilbaoES BIO 4A HC(2), NHC(2),OBilbaoES BIO 1P HC, NHC CádizES CAD 1P HC, NHC CartagenaES CAR 1P HC, NHC CastellónES CAS 1P HC, NHC Ciudad RealES CQM 4A HC(2), NHC(2) GeronaES GRO 4A HC(2), NHC(2) GijónES GIJ 1P HC, NHC Gran CanariaES LPA 4A HC(2), NHC-NT(2)OHuelvaES HUV 1PPuerto InteriorHC-T(FR), HC-T(CH) Puerto ExteriorNHC-NT Las Palmas de Gran CanariaES LPA 1PProductosHC, NHC Animales U, E, OMadridES MAD 4AIberiaHC(2), NHC(2)U, E, OFlightcareHC(2), NHC-T(CH)(2), NHC-NT(2)U, E, OPER4HC-T(CH)(2) WFS: World Wide Flight ServicesHC(2), NHC-T(CH)(2), NHC-NTOMálagaES AGP 4A HC(2), NHC(2)OMálagaES AGP 1P HC, NHCU, E, OMarínES MAR 1P HC, NHC-T(FR), NHC-NT Palma de MallorcaES PMI 4A HC-NT(2), HC-T(CH)(2), HC-T(FR)(2) (*) NHC-NT(2), NHC-T(CH)(2), NHC-T(FR)(2) (*)OSanta Cruz de TenerifeES SCT 1PDársenaHC DiqueNHCU, E, OSantanderES SDR 4A HC(2), NHC(2) SantanderES SDR 1P HC, NHC Santiago de CompostelaES SCQ 4A HC(2), NHC(2) San Sebastián (*)ES EAS 4A HC(2) (*), NHC(2) (*) SevillaES SVQ 4A HC(2), NHC(2)OSevillaES SVQ 1P HC, NHC TarragonaES TAR 1P HC, NHC Tenerife NorteES TFN 4A HC(2) Tenerife SurES TFS 4AProductosHC(2), NHC(2) Animales U, E, OValencia (*)ES VLC 4A HC(2) (*), NHC(2) (*)O (*)ValenciaES VLC 1P HC, NHC VigoES VGO 4A HC(2), NHC(2) VigoES VGO 1PT.C. GuixarHC, NHC-T(FR), NHC-NT Pantalan 3HC-T(FR)(2)(3) FrioyaHC-T(FR)(2)(3) FrigalsaHC-T(FR)(2)(3) PescanovaHC-T(FR)(2)(3) VieirasaHC-T(FR)(3) FandicostaHC-T(FR)(2)(3) Frig. MorrazoHC-T(FR)(3) Vilagarcía–Ribeira–CaramiñalES RIB 1PVilagarcíaHC(2), NHC(2)(11) RibeiraHC CaramiñalHC VitoriaES VIT 4AProductosHC(2), NHC-NT(2), NHC-T(CH) Animales U, E, OZaragozaES ZAZ 4A HC(2) Страна: ФРАНЦИЯ – Země: FRANCIE – Land: FRANKRIG – Land: FRANKREICH – Riik: PRANTSUSMAA – Χώρα: ΓΑΛΛIΑ – Country: FRANCE – País: FRANCIA – Pays: FRANCE – Paese: FRANCIA – Valsts: FRANCIJA – Šalis: PRANCŪZIJA – Ország: FRANCIAORSZÁG – Pajjiż: FRANZA – Land: FRANKRIJK – Kraj: FRANCJA – País: FRANÇA – Țara: FRANȚA – Krajina: FRANCÚZSKO – Država: FRANCIJA – Maa: RANSKA – Land: FRANKRIKE123456BordeauxFR BOD 4A HC-T(1), HC-NT, NHC BordeauxFR BOD 1P HC-NT BoulogneFR BOL 1P HC-T(1)(3), HC-NT(1)(3) BrestFR BES 4A HC-T(CH)(1)(2) BrestFR BES 1P HC-T(FR)(1), NHC-T(FR) Châteauroux-DéolsFR CHR 4A HC-T(2) Concarneau – DouarnenezFR COC 1PConcarneauHC-T(1)(3) DouarnenezHC-T(FR)(1)(3) DeauvilleFR DOL 4A  EDunkerqueFR DKK 1PCaraibesHC-T(1), HC-NT Maison BlancheNHC-NT Le HavreFR LEH 1PRoute des MaraisHC-T(1), HC-NT, NHC DugrandHC-T(FR)(1)(2) EFBSHC-T(FR)(1)(2) FécampHC-NT(6), NHC-NT(6) LorientFR LRT 1PCCIMNHC-NT(4) Lyon-Saint ExupéryFR LIO 4A HC-T(1), HC-NT, NHCOMarseille Port (15)FR MRS 1PHangar 14 ESTEFHC-T(1)(2), HC-NT(2) Marseille – Fos-sur-MerFR FOS 1P HC-T(1), HC-NT, NHC Marseille aéroportFR MRS 4A HC-T(1), HC-NTONantes – Saint-NazaireFR NTE 1P HC-T(1), HC-NT, NHC-NT NiceFR NCE 4A HC-T(CH)(1)(2)OOrlyFR ORY 4ASFSHC-T(1)(2), HC-NT(2), NHC Réunion Port RéunionFR LPT 1P HC(1), NHC Réunion Roland-GarrosFR RUN 4A HC(1), NHCORoissy – Charles-de-GaulleFR CDG 4AAir FranceHC-T(1), HC-NT, NHC-NT France HandlingHC-T(1), HC-NT, NHC Station animalière U, E, O(14)RouenFR URO 1P HC-T(1)(2), HC-NT(2), NHC SèteFR SET 1PFrontignanHC-T(1), HC-NT Toulouse-BlagnacFR TLS 4A HC-T(1)(2), HC-NT(2), NHC(2)OVatryFR VRY 4A HC-T(CH)(1)(2) Страна: ИТАЛИЯ – Země: ITÁLIE – Land: ITALIEN – Land: ITALIEN – Riik: ITAALIA – Χώρα: ΙΤΑΛIΑ – Country: ITALY – País: ITALIA – Pays: ITALIE – Paese: ITALIA – Valsts: ITĀLIJA – Šalis: ITALIJA – Ország: OLASZORSZÁG – Pajjiż: ITALJA – Land: ITALIË – Kraj: WŁOCHY – País: ITÁLIA – Țara: ITALIA – Krajina: TALIANSKO – Država: ITALIJA – Maa: ITALIA – Land: ITALIEN123456AnconaIT AOI 4A HC, NHC AnconaIT AOI 1PVISHC GarbageNHC BariIT BRI 1P HC, NHC-NT BergamoIT BGO 4A HC, NHC Bologna-Borgo PanigaleIT BLQ 4A HC(2), NHC(2)OBrescia MontichiariIT MCH 4A HC(2), NHC(2) BrindisiIT BDS 1P HC CivitavecchiaIT CVV 1P HC-T(2) GenovaIT GOA 1PCalata Sanità (terminal Sech)HC(2), NHC-NT(2) Nino Ronco (terminal Messina)NHC-NT(2) Porto di Voltri (Voltri)HC(2), NHC-NT(2) Ponte PaleocapaNHC-NT(6) GenovaIT GOA 4A HC(2), NHC(2)OGioia TauroIT GIT 1P HC, NHC La SpeziaIT SPE 1P HC, NHCU, ELivorno-PisaIT LIV 1PPorto CommercialeHC, NHC-NT SintermarHC, NHC LorenziniHC, NHC-NT Terminal Darsena ToscanaHC, NHC Livorno-PisaIT PSA 4A HC(2), NHC(2) Milano-LinateIT LIN 4A HC(2), NHC(2)OMilano-MalpensaIT MXP 4AMagazzini aeroportuali ALHAHC(2), NHC(2) SEA U, ECargo City MLEHC, NHCONapoliIT NAP 1PMolo BausanHC, NHC NapoliIT NAP 4A HC, NHC-NT OlbiaIT OLB 1P HC-T(FR)(3) PalermoIT PMO 4A HC-T PalermoIT PMO 1P HC RavennaIT RAN 1PSapir 1NHC-NT(6) TCRHC-T(FR)(2), HC-NT(2), NHC-NT(2) SetramarNHC-NT(4) Docks CerealiNHC-NT Reggio Calabria (*)IT REG 1P HC (*), NHC (*) Reggio CalabriaIT REG 4A HC, NHC Roma-FiumicinoIT FCO 4AAlitaliaHC(2), NHC-NT(2)O(14)Cargo City ADRHC, NHC Isola Veterinaria U, E, ORiminiIT RMI 4A HC(2), NHC(2) SalernoIT SAL 1P HC, NHC TarantoIT TAR 1P HC, NHC Torino-CaselleIT CTI 4A HC(2), NHC-NT(2) TrapaniIT TPS 1P HC TriesteIT TRS 1PHangar 69HC, NHC VeneziaIT VCE 4A HC(2), NHC-T(CH)(2), NHC-NT(2) VeneziaIT VCE 1P HC-T, NHC-NT VeronaIT VRN 4A HC(2), NHC(2) Vado Ligure Savona portIT VDL 1P HC(2), NHC-NT(2) Страна: КИПЪР – Země: KYPR – Land: CYPERN – Land: ZYPERN – Riik: KÜPROS – Χώρα: ΚΥΠΡΟΣ – Country: CYPRUS – País: CHIPRE – Pays: CHYPRE – Paese: CIPRO – Valsts: KIPRA – Šalis: KIPRAS – Ország: CIPRUS – Pajjiż: ĊIPRU – Land: CYPRUS – Kraj: CYPR – País: CHIPRE – Țara: CIPRU – Krajina: CYPRUS – Država: CIPER – Maa: KYPROS – Land: CYPERN123456LarnakaCY LCA 4A HC(2), NHC-NT(2)OLemesosCY LMS 1P HC(2), NHC-NT Страна: ЛАТВИЯ – Země: LOTYŠSKO – Land: LETLAND – Land: LETTLAND – Riik: LÄTI – Χώρα: ΛΕΤΤΟΝIΑ – Country: LATVIA – Pais: LETONIA – Pays: LETTONIE – Paese: LETTONIA – Valsts: LATVIJA – Šalis: LATVIJA – Ország: LETTORSZÁG – Pajjiż: LATVJA – Land: LETLAND – Kraj: ŁOTWA – País: LETÓNIA – Țara: LETONIA – Krajina: LOTYŠSKO – Država: LATVIJA – Maa: LATVIA – Land: LETTLAND123456DaugavpilsLV DGP 2F HC(2), NHC-NT(2) Grebņeva(13)LV GRE 3R HC, NHC-T(CH), NHC-NT PatarniekiLV PAT 3RIC 1HC, NHC-T(CH), NHC-NT IC 2 U, E, ORēzekne(13)LV REZ 2F HC(2), NHC-NT(2) Rīga (Riga port)LV RIX 1aPKravu terminālsHC(2), NHC(2), HC-T(FR)(2), HC-NT(2) Rīga (BFT)LV RIX 1bP HC-T(FR)(2) Rīga (Baltmarine Terminal)LV BTM 1P HC-T(FR)(2) Terehova(13)LV TER 3R HC, NHC-NTE, OVentspilsLV VNT 1P HC(2), NHC(2) Страна: ЛИТВА – Země: LITVA – Land: LITAUEN – Land: LITAUEN – Riik: LEEDU – Χώρα: ΛΙΘΟΥΑΝIΑ – Country: LITHUANIA – País: LITUANIA – Pays: LITUANIE – Paese: LITUANIA – Valsts: LIETUVA – Šalis: LIETUVA – Ország: LITVÁNIA – Pajjiż: LITWANJA – Land: LITOUWEN – Kraj: LITWA – País: LITUÂNIA – Țara: LITUANIA – Krajina: LITVA – Država: LITVA – Maa: LIETTUA – Land: LITAUEN123456Kena(13)LT KEG 2F HC-T(FR), HC-NT, NHC-T(FR), NHC-NT Kybartai(13)LT KBK 3R HC, NHC Kybartai(13)LT KBG 2F HC, NHC Lavoriškės(13)LT LVK 3R HC, NHC Medininkai(13)LT MDK 3R HC, NHC-T(FR), NHC-NTU, E, OMoloLT MOM 1P HC-T(FR)(2), HC-NT(2), NHC-T(FR)(2), NHC-NT(2) Malkų įlankosLT MLM 1P HC, NHC LaistųHC PiliesLT PLM 1P HC-T(FR)(2), HC-NT(2), NHC-T(FR)(2), NHC-NT(2) Panemunė(13)LT PNK 3R HC, NHC Pagėgiai(13)LT PGG 2F HC, NHC Šalčininkai(13)LT SLK 3R HC, NHC VilniusLT VNO 4A HC, NHCOСтрана: ЛЮКСЕМБУРГ – Země: LUCEMBURSKO – Land: LUXEMBOURG – Land: LUXEMBURG – Riik: LUKSEMBURG – Χώρα: ΛΟΥΞΕΜΒΟΥΡΓΟ – Country: LUXEMBOURG – País: LUXEMBURGO – Pays: LUXEMBOURG – Paese: LUSSEMBURGO – Valsts: LUKSEMBURGA – Šalis: LIUKSEMBURGAS – Ország: LUXEMBURG – Pajjiż: LUSSEMBURGU – Land: LUXEMBURG – Kraj: LUKSEMBURG – País: LUXEMBURGO – Țara: LUXEMBURG – Krajina: LUXEMBURSKO – Država: LUKSEMBURG – Maa: LUXEMBURG – Land: LUXEMBURG123456LuxembourgLU LUX 4ACentre 1HC Centre 2NHC-NTU, E, OСтрана: УНГАРИЯ – Země: MAĎARSKO – Land: UNGARN – Land: UNGARN – Riik: UNGARI – Χώρα: ΟΥΓΓΑΡIΑ – Country: HUNGARY – País: HUNGRÍA – Pays: HONGRIE – Paese: UNGHERIA – Valsts: UNGĀRIJA – Šalis: VENGRIJA – Ország: MAGYARORSZÁG – Pajjiż: UNGERIJA – Land: HONGARIJE – Kraj: WĘGRY – País: HUNGRIA – Țara: UNGARIA – Krajina: MAĎARSKO – Država: MADŽARSKA – Maa: UNKARI – Land: UNGERN123456Budapest-FerihegyHU BUD 4A HC(2), NHC-T(CH)(2), NHC-NTOEperjeskeHU EPE 2F HC-T(CH)(2), HC-NT(2), NHC-T(CH)(2), NHC-NT(2) GyékényesHU GYE 2F HC(2), NHC(2) KelebiaHU KEL 2F HC-T(CH)(2), HC-NT(2), NHC-T(CH)(2), NHC-NT(2) LetenyeHU LET 3R HC(2), NHC-NT(2) RöszkeHU ROS 3R HC(2), NHC-NT(2)EZáhonyHU ZAH 3R HC(2), NHC-NT(2)U, EСтрана: МАЛТА – Země: MALTA – Land: MALTA – Land: MALTA – Riik: MALTA – Χώρα: ΜAΛΤΑ – Country: MALTA – País: MALTA – Pays: MALTE – Paese: MALTA – Valsts: MALTA – Šalis: MALTA – Ország: MÁLTA – Pajjiż: MALTA – Land: MALTA – Kraj: MALTA – País: MALTA – Țara: MALTA – Krajina: MALTA – Država: MALTA – Maa: MALTA – Land: MALTA123456LuqaMT LUQ 4A HC(2), NHC(2)O, U, EMarsaxxlokMT MAR 1P HC, NHC ValettaMT MLA 1P  U, E,Страна: НИДЕРЛАНДИЯ – Země: NIZOZEMSKO – Land: NEDERLANDENE – Land: NIEDERLANDE – Riik: HOLLAND – Χώρα: ΚAΤΩ ΧΩΡΕΣ – Country: NETHERLANDS – País: PAÍSES BAJOS – Pays: PAYS-BAS – Paese: PAESI BASSI – Valsts: NĪDERLANDE – Šalis: NYDERLANDAI – Ország: HOLLANDIA – Pajjiż: OLANDA – Land: NEDERLAND – Kraj: NIDERLANDY – País: PAÍSES BAIXOS – Țara: ȚĂRILE DE JOS – Krajina: HOLANDSKO – Država: NIZOZEMSKA – Maa: ALANKOMAAT – Land: NEDERLÄNDERNA123456AmsterdamNL AMS 4AAero Ground ServicesHC(2), NHC-T(FR), NHC-NT(2)O(14)KLM-2 U, E, O(14)FreshportHC(2), NHC(2)O(14)AmsterdamNL AMS 1PCornelis VrolijkHC-T(FR)(2)(3) Daalimpex VelsenHC-T PCAHC(2), NHC(2) Kloosterboer IJmuidenHC-T(FR) EemshavenNL EEM 1P HC-T(2), NHC-T(FR)(2) HarlingenNL HAR 1PDaalimpexHC-T MaastrichtNL MST 4A HC, NHCU, E, ORotterdamNL RTM 1PEurofrigo KarimatastraatHC, NHC-T(FR), NHC-NT Eurofrigo, Abel TasmanstraatHC Kloosterboer Terminal Rotterdam B.V.HC-T(FR)(2) WibacoHC-T(FR)(2), HC-NT(2) VlissingenNL VLI 1PDaalimpexHC-T(2), NHC-T(FR)(2) KloosterboerHC-T(2), HC-NT(2) Страна: АВСТРИЯ – Země: RAKOUSKO – Land: ØSTRIG – Land: ÖSTERREICH – Riik: AUSTRIA – Χώρα: ΑΥΣΤΡIΑ – Country: AUSTRIA – País: AUSTRIA – Pays: AUTRICHE – Paese: AUSTRIA – Valsts: AUSTRIJA – Šalis: AUSTRIJA – Ország: AUSZTRIA – Pajjiż: AWSTRIJA – Land: OOSTENRIJK – Kraj: AUSTRIA – País: ÁUSTRIA – Țara: AUSTRIA – Krajina: RAKÚSKO – Država: AVSTRIJA – Maa: ITÄVALTA – Land: ÖSTERRIKE123456LinzAT LNZ 4A HC(2), NHC(2)O, E, U(8)Wien–SchwechatAT VIE 4A HC(2), NHC(2)OСтрана: ПОЛША – Země: POLSKO – Land: POLEN – Land: POLEN – Riik: POOLA – Χώρα: ΠΟΛΩΝIΑ – Country: POLAND – País: POLONIA – Pays: POLOGNE – Paese: POLONIA – Valsts: POLIJA – Šalis: LENKIJA – Ország: LENGYELORSZÁG – Pajjiż: POLONJA – Land: POLEN – Kraj: POLSKA – País: POLÓNIA – Țara: POLONIA – Krajina: POĽSKO – Država: POLJSKA – Maa: PUOLA – Land: POLEN123456Bezledy(13)PL BEZ 3R HC, NHCU, E, ODorohuskPL DOR 3R HC, NHC-T(FR), NHC-NTOGdańskPL GDN 1P HC(2), NHC(2) GdyniaPL GDY 1PIC 1HC, NHCU, E, OIC 2HC-T(FR)(2) HrebennePL HRE 3R HC, NHC KorczowaPL KOC 3R HC, NHCU, E, OKukuryki–KoroszczynPL KOR 3R HC, NHCU, E, OKuźnica Białostocka(13)PL KUB 3R HC, NHCU, E, OŚwinoujściePL SWI 1P HC, NHC SzczecinPL SZZ 1P HC, NHC Terespol–KobylanyPL TKO 2F HC, NHC Warszawa OkęciePL WAW 4A HC(2), NHC(2)U, E, OСтрана: ПОРТУГАЛИЯ - Země: PORTUGALSKO – Land: PORTUGAL – Land: PORTUGAL – Riik: PORTUGAL – Χώρα: ΠΟΡΤΟΓΑΛIΑ – Country: PORTUGAL – País: PORTUGAL – Pays: PORTUGAL – Paese: PORTOGALLO – Valsts: PORTUGĀLE – Šalis: PORTUGALIJA – Ország: PORTUGÁLIA – Pajjiż: PORTUGALL – Land: PORTUGAL – Kraj: PORTUGALIA – País: PORTUGAL – Țara: PORTUGALIA – Krajina: PORTUGALSKO – Država: PORTUGALSKA – Maa: PORTUGALI – Land: PORTUGAL123456AveiroPT AVE 1P HC-T(3) FaroPT FAO 4A HC-NT(2), HC-T(CH)(2)OFunchal (Madeira)PT FNC 4A HC(2) Caniçal (Madeira)PT CNL 1P HC-T(2) Horta (Açores)PT HOR 1P HC-T(FR)(3) LisboaPT LIS 4ACentre 1HC(2)OLisboaPT LIS 1PLiscontHC(2), NHC XabregasHC, NHC-T(FR), NHC-NT PenichePT PEN 1P HC-T(FR)(3) Ponta Delgada (Açores)PT PDL 4A NHC-NT Ponta Delgada (Açores)PT PDL 1P HC-T(FR)(3), NHC-T(FR)(3) PortoPT OPO 4A HC-T(2), NHC-NT(2)OPortoPT OPO 1P HC(2), NHC-NT SetúbalPT SET 1P HC(2), NHC SinesPT SIE 1P HC(2), NHC Viana do CasteloPT VDC 1P HC-T(FR)(3) Страна: РУМЪНИЯ – Země: RUMUNSKO – Land: RUMÆNIEN – Land: RUMÄNIEN – Riik: RUMEENIA – Χώρα: ΡΟΥΜΑΝIΑ – Country: ROMANIA – País: RUMANÍA – Pays: ROUMANIE – Paese: ROMANIA – Valsts: RUMĀNIJA – Šalis: RUMUNIJA – Ország: ROMÁNIA – Pajjiż: RUMANIJA – Land: ROEMENIË – Kraj: RUMUNIA – País: ROMÉNIA – Țara: ROMÂNIA – Krajina: RUMUNSKO – Država: ROMUNIJA – Maa: ROMANIA – Land: RUMÄNIEN123456AlbițaRO ALT 3RIC 1HC(2) IC 2NHC-T(CH), NHC-NT IC 3 U, E, OBucharest Henri CoandăRO OTP 4AIC 1HC-NT(2), HC-T(CH)(2), NHC-NT(2) IC 2 E, OConstanța NorthRO CSN 1P HC(2), NHC-NT(2) Constanța South – AgigeaRO CSA 1P HC(2), NHC-T(CH)(2), NHC-NT(2) HalmeuRO HAL 3RIC 1HC(2), NHC(2) IC 2 U, E, OSculeni IașiRO SCU 3R HC(2), NHC(2) SiretRO SIR 3R HC(2), NHC(2) Stamora MoravițaRO STA 3RIC 1HC(2), NHC(2) IC 2 U, E, OСтрана: СЛОВЕНИЯ – Země: SLOVINSKO – Land: SLOVENIEN – Land: SLOWENIEN – Riik: SLOVEENIA – Χώρα: ΣΛΟΒΕΝIΑ – Country: SLOVENIA – País: ESLOVENIA – Pays: SLOVÉNIE – Paese: SLOVENIA – Valsts: SLOVĒNIJA – Šalis: SLOVĖNIJA – Ország: SZLOVÉNIA – Pajjiż: SLOVENJA – Land: SLOVENIË – Kraj: SŁOWENIA – País: ESLOVÉNIA – Țara: SLOVENIA – Krajina: SLOVINSKO – Država: SLOVENIJA – Maa: SLOVENIA – Land: SLOVENIEN123456DobovaSI DOB 2F HC(2), NHC(2)U, EGruškovjeSI GRK 3R HC, NHC-T(FR), NHC-NTOJelšaneSI JLN 3R HC, NHC-NT, NHC-T(CH)OKoperSI KOP 1P HC, NHC-T(CH), NHC-NT Ljubljana BrnikSI LJU 4A HC(2), NHC(2)OObrežjeSI OBR 3R HC, NHC-T(CH)(2), NHC-NT(2)U, E, OСтрана: СЛОВАКИЯ – Země: SLOVENSKO – Land: SLOVAKIET – Land: SLOWAKEI – Riik: SLOVAKKIA – Χώρα: ΣΛΟΒΑΚIΑ – Country: SLOVAKIA – País: ESLOVAQUIA – Pays: SLOVAQUIE – Paese: SLOVACCHIA – Valsts: SLOVĀKIJA – Šalis: SLOVAKIJA – Ország: SZLOVÁKIA – Pajjiż: SLOVAKJA – Land: SLOWAKIJE – Kraj: SŁOWACJA – País: ESLOVÁQUIA – Țara: SLOVACIA – Krajina: SLOVENSKO – Država: SLOVAŠKA – Maa: SLOVAKIA – Land: SLOVAKIEN123456BratislavaSK BTS 4AIC 1HC(2), NHC(2) IC 2 E, OVyšné NemeckéSK VYN 3RIC 1HC, NHC IC 2 U, EČierna nad TisouSK CNT 2F HC, NHC Страна: ФИНЛАНДИЯ – Země: FINSKO – Land: FINLAND – Land: FINNLAND – Riik: SOOME – Χώρα: ΦΙΝΛΑΝΔIΑ – Country: FINLAND – País: FINLANDIA – Pays: FINLANDE – Paese: FINLANDIA – Valsts: SOMIJA – Šalis: SUOMIJA – Ország: FINNORSZÁG – Pajjiż: FINLANDJA – Land: FINLAND – Kraj: FINLANDIA – País: FINLÂNDIA – Țara: FINLANDA – Krajina: FÍNSKO – Država: FINSKA – Maa: SUOMI – Land: FINLAND123456HaminaFI HMN 1P HC(2), NHC(2) HelsinkiFI HEL 4A HC(2), NHC(2)OHelsinkiFI HEL 1P HC(2), NHC-NT VaalimaaFI VLA 3R HC(2), NHCU, E, OСтрана: ШВЕЦИЯ – Země: ŠVÉDSKO – Land: SVERIGE – Land: SCHWEDEN – Riik: ROOTSI – Χώρα: ΣΟΥΗΔIΑ – Country: SWEDEN – País: SUECIA – Pays: SUÈDE – Paese: SVEZIA – Valsts: ZVIEDRIJA – Šalis: ŠVEDIJA – Ország: SVÉDORSZÁG – Pajjiż: SVEZJA – Land: ZWEDEN – Kraj: SZWECJA – País: SUÉCIA – Țara: SUEDIA – Krajina: ŠVÉDSKO – Država: ŠVEDSKA – Maa: RUOTSI – Land: SVERIGE123456GöteborgSE GOT 1P HC(2), NHC(2)-NTE (*),O (*)Göteborg-LandvetterSE GOT 4AIC 1HC(2), NHC(2)OIC 2 EHelsingborgSE HEL 1P HC(2), NHC-T(FR)(2), NHC-NT(2) NorrköpingSE NRK 4A  EStockholmSE STO 1P HC(2) Stockholm-ArlandaSE ARN 4A HC(2), NHC(2)OСтрана: ОБЕДИНЕНО КРАЛСТВО – Země: SPOJENÉ KRÁLOVSTVÍ – Land: DET FORENEDE KONGERIGE – Land: VEREINIGTES KÖNIGREICH – Riik: SUURBRITANNIA – Χώρα: ΗΝΩΜEΝΟ ΒΑΣIΛΕΙΟ – Country: UNITED KINGDOM – País: REINO UNIDO – Pays: ROYAUME-UNI – Paese: REGNO UNITO – Valsts: APVIENOTĀ KARALISTE – Šalis: JUNGTINĖ KARALYSTĖ – Ország: EGYESÜLT KIRÁLYSÁG – Pajjiż: RENJU UNIT – Land: VERENIGD KONINKRIJK – Kraj: ZJEDNOCZONE KRÓLESTWO – País: REINO UNIDO – Țara: REGATUL UNIT – Krajina: SPOJENÉ KRÁĽOVSTVO – Država: ZDRUŽENO KRALJESTVO – Maa: YHDISTYNYT KUNINGASKUNTA – Land: FÖRENADE KUNGARIKET123456BelfastGB BEL 4A HC-T(1)(2), HC-NT(2), NHC(2) BelfastGB BEL 1P HC-T(FR)(1)(2), NHC-T(FR)(2) BristolGB BRS 1P HC-T(FR)(1), HC-NT(1), NHC-NT FalmouthGB FAL 1P HC-T(1), HC-NT(1) FelixstoweGB FXT 1PTCEFHC-T(1), NHC-T(FR), NHC-NT ATEFHC-NT(1) GatwickGB LGW 4AIC 1 OIC 2HC-T(1)(2), HC-NT(1)(2), NHC(2) Glasgow (*)GB GLW 4A HC-T(1)(2) (*), HC-NT(1)(2) (*), NHC-NT(2) (*) Grimsby–ImminghamGB GSY 1PCentre 1HC-T(FR)(1) Grove Wharf WhartonGB GRW 1P NHC-NT(4) HeathrowGB LHR 4ACentre 1HC-T(1)(2), HC-NT(1)(2), NHC(2) Centre 2HC-T(1)(2), HC-NT(1)(2) Animal Reception Centre U, E, OHullGB HUL 1P HC-T(1), HC-NT(1), NHC-NT InvergordonGB IVG 1P NHC-NT(4) LiverpoolGB LIV 1P HC(1)(2), NHC(2) ManchesterGB MNC 4AIC 1 O(14)IC 2HC-T(1)(2), HC-NT(1)(2) IC 3NHC(2), ManstonGB MSE 4A HC(1)(2), NHC(2) Nottingham East MidlandsGB EMA 4A HC-T(1), HC-NT(1), NHC-T(FR), NHC-NT PeterheadGB PHD 1P HC-T(FR)(1,2,3) PrestwickGB PIK 4A  U, ESouthamptonGB SOU 1P HC-T(1), HC-NT(1), NHC StanstedGB STN 4A HC-NT(1)(2), NHC-NT(2)U, EThamesportGB THP 1P HC-T(1)(2), HC-NT(1)(2), NHC(2) TilburyGB TIL 1P HC-T(1), HC-NT(1), NHC-T(FR), NHC-NT

Animal Welfare

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to improve the care and protection of animals in the UK after the UK leaves the EU.

David Rutley: The Government has made it clear that as we leave the EU we will maintain and enhance our reputation as a global leader on animal welfare. We are increasing maximum sentences for animal cruelty tenfold from six months’ to five years’ imprisonment, we have made CCTV mandatory in slaughterhouses, we propose to ban the use of electronic shock collars and we are banning online sales of puppies.

Southern Water

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with Southern Water on improving its performance.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The water regulators, Ofwat, the Environment Agency and the Drinking Water Inspectorate, hold regular discussions with water companies, including Southern Water, about the companies’ performance. Discussions cover all relevant regulatory performance, including operational resilience, customer service and environmental protection.

Litter: Fines

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information his Department holds on how many local authorities have increased the level of fines for littering since April 2018.

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has carried out a statistical assessment of the extent of littering in each constituent part of England.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Defra does not collect data on the level of fixed penalties set by local authorities for littering nor on the extent of littering in each constituent part of England.

Marine Conservation Zones

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Marine Conservation Zones consultation published in June 2018, for what reason the consultation period was limited to six weeks; and when his Department plans to publish the results of that consultation.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The consultation on the third tranche of Marine Conservation Zones ran for a period of six weeks and closed on 20th July. Six weeks was considered sufficient given that most of the sites consulted on had been in the public domain since 2011 and targeted stakeholder engagement had been carried out ahead of the consultation. We received over 48,500 responses during the consultation period. We are carefully considering all of the responses received and the designations will be announced and in place by or before 7th June 2019. At the same time we will also publish a full Government response to the consultation, outlining the evidence received and explaining the decisions taken on each site.

Sites of Special Scientific Interest

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 June 2018 to Question 155250 on Sites of Special Scientific Interest, how much Natural England has spent on monitoring sites of special scientific interest in each year since 2010.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Natural England expenditure on monitoring sites of special scientific interest is set out in the following table. YearExpenditure 2010/11£1,570,7552011/12£1,517,6912012/13£1,797,2872013/14£1,420,8922014/15£1,381,5802015/16£900,6332016/17£1,028,5332017/18£700,452 This includes Natural England staff time and the costs of specialist surveys. This year NE is prioritising actions to address particular issues on SSSIs, especially those affecting upland SSSIs. NE continues to support and encourage partners in the work they do themselves to undertake SSSI monitoring. Natural England is also developing an approach to the monitoring of SSSIs which will make better use of new technologies, such as remote sensing and greater partnership involvement. This is intended to improve efficiency of SSSI monitoring.

Environment Protection: Finance

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the effect of the UK leaving the EU on the total amount of funding from the public purse available for protecting and restoring nature.

David Rutley: On land, the agri-environment component of the Rural Development Programme has been the main source of funding for nature on farms. The Government has pledged to commit the same cash total in funds for farm support across the UK until the end of this Parliament, expected in 2022, and to develop a new Environmental Land Management system which will reward farmers and land managers for delivering environmental outcomes. During the Agricultural transition proposed in the Agriculture Bill, reductions to direct payments will release funds for environmental land management. At sea, the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund supports projects to reduce the impact of fisheries on the marine environment, including the avoidance and reduction of unwanted catches, and to protect and restore aquatic biodiversity. The UK’s funding allocation will run until 2020 and work is underway to consider the longer term future of this funding. For EU LIFE, if a transition period is agreed, UK organisations will be able to bid for funding until the end of the current funding period in 2020. We have guaranteed funding secured by UK organisations on a competitive basis for the duration of their project. Beyond 2020, any decisions on domestic funding will be taken as part of the next Spending Review. For research, the main source of EU funding is Horizon 2020. The draft Withdrawal Agreement envisages that UK participants will be eligible to bid for funding until it concludes in 2020. We have set out a plan for the future relationship between the UK and EU, which includes the proposal to form a cooperative accord with the EU on science and innovation.

Sites of Special Scientific Interest

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 June 2018 to Question 155250 on Sites of Special Scientific Interest, for what reasons 47 per cent of sites of special scientific interest have not had an assessment by Natural England within the past six years.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Natural England assesses all sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) when they are first notified to establish the presence and condition of species, habitats and geological and geomorphological features. The published national standard for English SSSI monitoring does not commit to six-yearly monitoring. It states that ‘The frequency of monitoring for each site is dependent on a range of factors such as feature type and the nature of adverse influences, but takes place on average every seven years.’ Since 2013 Natural England has adopted a risk based approach to the frequency of monitoring sites, which varies according to a range of factors such as risk to the site and the stability of its ecology. Natural England is also developing an approach to the monitoring of SSSIs which will make better use of new technologies, such as remote sensing and greater partnership involvement. These are intended to improve efficiency of SSSI monitoring in view of competing priorities.

Sites of Special Scientific Interest

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 June 2018 to Question 155250 on Sites of Special Scientific Interest, what estimate his Department has made of the resources needed to ensure that assessments of all sites of special scientific interest can be completed within the timeframe set by statutory guidelines.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The condition of sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) is an important goal in the 25 Year Environment Plan. Natural England is developing an approach to the monitoring of SSSIs which will make better use of new technologies, such as remote sensing, and ensure that evidence gathered better supports the goals in the 25 Year Environment Plan. Development of this reformed approach will inform future resource requirements.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Scotland

Hugh Gaffney: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Minister for Food Supplies plans to visit Scotland.

David Rutley: Following my appointment as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at Defra, ministerial responsibility for the food chain transferred from Minister Eustice to me. I look forward to visiting Scotland in due course.

Food: Shortages

Hugh Gaffney: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential for food shortages in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

David Rutley: A responsible government should prepare for all potential outcomes, including the unlikely scenario in which no mutually satisfactory agreement can be reached and that is what we are doing. Defra is working closely with all relevant Government departments on food sector issues relating to leaving the EU, including BEIS, DfT, HMRC, Department for Exiting the EU, Department for International Trade, the FSA and others. Defra is also working closely with industry to support preparations for leaving the EU. Food is one of the UK’s 13 critical infrastructure sectors and Defra produces an annual sector security and resilience plan as lead Government Department. These plans identify potential risks and set out a programme of measures to improve resilience where necessary.

Hedgehogs: North West

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many hedgehogs have been poisoned by slug pellets in (a) Lancashire and (b) Cumbria in each of the last five years.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: No cases involving hedgehogs and slug pellets have been reported in Cumbria and Lancashire over the last five years.

Coal

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has of the potential number of job losses in the coal production and distribution sector if the burning of house coal is banned; and if he will make a statement.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Government has consulted on proposals to phase out sales of the most polluting domestic fuels in England, including traditional ‘smokey’ house coal. As part of the consultation we asked businesses for their views on the impacts of this policy.

Coal

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much PM2.5 is generated by burning house coal in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: House coal emits 9.14 grams of PM2.5 emissions per tonne of fuel consumed, compared to 7.58 grams per tonne of seasoned wood and 1.84 grams per tonne of smokeless coal. 3.3 kilotonnes of PM2.5 emissions were produced by burning house coal in the UK in 2016.

Natural England: Staff

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staff have transferred from Natural England to his Department in each month from July 2016 to September 2018; what the reasons were for each of those transfers; and if he will make a statement.

George Eustice: Since July 2016, Natural England (NE) have transferred or seconded 463 staff to Defra and the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). In January 2017 60 NE staff were moved to Defra under the Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment Regulations 2006 (TUPE). These transfers fulfilled roles in finance, communications, human resources and IT as part of the Corporate Services Transformation Programme. As of 1 October NE have also transferred 331 staff to the RPA under TUPE as part of the Countryside Stewardship Improvement programme and the Countryside Stewardship & Environmental Stewardship Transition. Since 2016 NE have also seconded 22 staff to Defra and the RPA. Reasons for these individual secondments include building on existing partner relationships, to develop identified specific skills and knowledge that will be of clear benefit to NE on return and building relationships with key stakeholders to encourage cross-network or departmental working. Most recently a further 50 NE staff have been successful in secondment opportunities to Defra EU Exit roles on two year secondments as part of a Defra group initiative. In deciding the best candidates for secondment, consideration was given to minimise the potential impact on NE’s Key Performance Indicators. Secondees’ substantive roles which are not deemed a high priority have been left unfilled, and work reallocated or stopped for now. These secondments will be individually developmental and add new expertise and fresh perspectives to the EU Exit work, whilst helping NE balance its budget for 2018/19.

Animals: Antibiotics

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government has plans to ban the preventative use of antibiotics in groups of animals in line with proposals by the EU to introduce such a ban; and if he will make a statement.

George Eustice: The proposed EU veterinary medicines legislation includes provisions to restrict the use of antibiotics in animals for preventative purposes. The UK has played a key role in the revision of this legislation and supported the Commission’s main aims. The UK Government plans to implement the restrictions on preventative use of antibiotics in line with the EU proposals.We will continue to work closely with the veterinary profession, the livestock sectors and other stakeholders in developing, interpreting and implementing policy and legislation for tackling antimicrobial resistance.

Glyphosate: Health Hazards

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effect on peoples health of the use of Glysphosate as a herbicide and crop desiccant.

George Eustice: Like all pesticides, glyphosate is subject to restrictions to ensure that its use will not harm people or have unacceptable effects on the environment. UK experts participated in the European Food Safety Authority’s recent assessment of glyphosate and support its conclusions, particularly that glyphosate does not cause cancer. The Government therefore supports the continuing approval of glyphosate. In line with normal practice when an approval is renewed, the UK regulator is reviewing the authorisations for all glyphosate products, including those for pre-harvest use.

Air Pollution

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department's Clean Air Strategy will include meeting the World Health Organisation’s limit for fine particular matter PM2.5.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Our recently published draft Clean Air Strategy stated that although the UK is compliant with the current EU limit values for particulate matter, the Government is committed to reducing concentrations further. In doing so we will halve the number of people living in locations where PM2.5 levels exceed World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines by 2025.We are the first major developed economy to adopt goals based on WHO guidelines, going far beyond EU requirements. The WHO have welcomed our Clean Air Strategy.

Air Pollution

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department's Clean Air Strategy will include steps to increase levels of travel by (a) walking, (b) cycling, and (c) public transport.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Clean Air Strategy consultation set out the approach we are taking to reduce emissions from transport, which includes encouraging walking, cycling and use of public transport. We are currently assessing the responses to the consultation. The Government has already committed to significant investment through the £1.7 billion Transforming Cities Fund which aims to reduce congestion and increase productivity through improved connectivity and public transport in major cities. We are also implementing the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, which identifies up to £1.2 billion that may be invested in cycling and walking from 2016-21 to double the level of cycling by 2025 and to reverse the decline in walking.

Slaughterhouses: Animal Welfare

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding his Department plans to allocate to the monitoring of animal welfare standards in 2019-20 after the introduction of CCTV in slaughterhouses throughout England.

David Rutley: The Government has delivered its manifesto commitment to make CCTV mandatory in slaughterhouses. Legislation came into force on 4 May 2018 with a 6-month transitional period to allow slaughterhouse operators to comply before provisions come into force on 5 November. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) are responsible for the implementation and enforcement of this legislation. The forecasted costs for 2018-19 for the monitoring of animal welfare standards in slaughter houses in England has been set at £149,777. The costs for 2019-20 will be discussed and agreed with FSA in due course.

Exmoor National Park

Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with Exmoor National Park Authority on expanding the boundaries of the National Park to include the Quantocks and other areas.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Neither Defra nor Natural England, the body with statutory responsibility for national park designation, have held any recent discussions with Exmoor National Park Authority on expanding the boundaries of Exmoor National Park.

Horse Racing: Animal Welfare

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his department has a policy on the protection of horses during racing.

David Rutley: As with all kept animals, racehorses are protected by the provisions of the Animal Welfare Act 2006. This means that owners and keepers must not cause their animals unnecessary suffering and must provide for their welfare. Failure to do so could result in an unlimited fine, or up to six months’ imprisonment, or both. We have already announced that the custodial maximum penalty will be increased to five years’ imprisonment. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) is responsible for horse safety at racetracks in Great Britain. The BHA works with the RSPCA to ensure that racecourses are as safe as possible. The percentage of racehorse fatalities at racetracks is low (0.18% of runners in 2017), however, as I have previously made clear, there is more work to be done to reduce that number further.

Food: Safety

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union on food safety regulations after the UK leaves the EU.

David Rutley: Food safety policy is the responsibility of the Food Standards Agency in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.The Food Standards Agency, the Department for Health and Social Care, Defra and the Department for Exiting the European Union meet regularly to discuss food safety issues in relation to the UK’s departure from the EU.

Plastics: Waste Disposal

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his Department's strategy is on reducing the amount of plastic going to landfill.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The tonnage of waste collected by local authorities and sent to landfill has fallen by 81% since in the introduction of the landfill tax in 1996/97. This is a devolved matter but the Government will publish a new Resources and Waste Strategy for England this year, which will explain how we will double resource productivity and achieve zero avoidable plastic waste. Since we introduced the carrier bag charge in 2015, the seven key retailers have reported that they have distributed approximately 15.6 billion fewer carrier bags. I have also written to English councils with recycling rates below 30% to encourage them to collect more materials including plastics for recycling.

Designated Landscapes Review

Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he had with Julian Glover on drawing up the terms of reference of the Designated landscapes (national parks and AONBs): 2018 review.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Prior to the launch of the review of designated landscapes the Secretary of State met Julian Glover to discuss the objectives for the review which are reflected in the terms of reference.

Exmoor National Park

Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the Exmoor Vision as a way of expanding the National Park; and whether residents in Somerset and Devon currently outwith the National Park will be consulted on the its future.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: We are aware of the Exmoor National Park Partnership Plan, which was subject to consultation with the public before its adoption, and ‘Exmoor’s Ambition’, a vision for the future of Exmoor which was developed by the Exmoor National Park Authority and Exmoor Hill Farming Network in consultation with the Exmoor farming community. No assessment of either document has been made as a way of expanding the existing national park boundaries. The review of designated landscapes, led by Julian Glover, will make recommendations on the case for extension or creation of new designated areas. It will include a call for evidence and more details of this will be announced soon.

Water: Meters

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether an area's socio-economic deprivation is a factor in compulsory metering decisions made by (a) Thames Water and (b) other water companies.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Before implementing a domestic metering programme, water companies must assess the cost-effectiveness of the programme as a mechanism for reducing demand for water by comparison with other measures. Their metering programmes inform business plans that must be approved by Ofwat. Water companies need to show broad customer support for metering programmes and set out clearly how they will mitigate the impacts on customer bills. All water companies offer social tariffs to help customers. If a customer is struggling to pay their bills they should speak with their water company about the possible support available.

Common Land: Cumbria

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to collect data on the (a) number, (b) location, and (c) planned removal date of temporary fences erected on common land in Cumbria.

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that those responsible for erecting temporary fences in Cumbria as part of the agri- environment schemes (a) achieve the habitat improvements that scheme is funding and (b) remove that fence and any redundant material when they are no longer achieving the objectives of that scheme.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Department does not collect data on the number, location and planned removal date of temporary fences erected on common land in Cumbria; neither does it keep a map of temporary fences on commons. No discussions have taken place between the Department and its agencies on the mapping of temporary fencing erected in Cumbria. As part of its work with the Lake District National Park Partnership, Natural England has worked with partners to develop a searchable website showing temporary consented fencing on common land in the Lake District, which will be publicly available through the Lake District National Park Authority. Natural England also carries out a programme of aftercare visits on agri-environment agreements to provide agreement holders with advice on how to manage their schemes to achieve the outcomes.

Air Pollution

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has for the Joint Air Quality Unit to publish a report on steps local authorities have taken to implementing to tackle air pollution.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: On 5 October, the Government published a Supplement to the 2017 UK plan for tackling roadside nitrogen dioxide emissions, along with 33 local feasibility studies developed by local authorities initially identified as having shorter term NO2 exceedances. These set out the work carried out by local authorities to identify measures to bring forward compliance with legal NO2 limits, and the next steps the Government has directed them to take where they have identified measures. 28 local authorities were directed in 2017 to develop plans to tackle air pollution by the end of 2018 – the Government expects local authorities will make their plans public once they are completed and final and several local authorities have already conducted public consultations and engagement on their plans.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Brexit

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the Answer of 4 September to Question 167842 on Brexit, which countries have already publicly welcomed the approach regarding the rollover of service agreements with the UK during a transition period; and whether any countries have not welcomed the approach.

Mr Robin Walker: The EU and UK agreed at the March European Council that, during the implementation period, the UK is to be treated as a Member State for the purposes of all international agreements and that the EU will notify third parties to these agreements to this effect. A number of countries, including Canada, South Africa, and Singapore have already welcomed this approach publicly.

Brexit: Scotland

Hugh Gaffney: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government of the effect on Scotland of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Mr Robin Walker: We are committed to securing a deal that works for the entire United Kingdom and we have been clear from the start that the Devolved Administrations should be fully engaged in this process. The Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) and the Cabinet Office continue to work closely with the Scottish Government to prepare for Exit.The Government is undertaking a comprehensive and wide ranging programme of ongoing analysis in support of our EU exit negotiations and preparations. UK Government departments continue to discuss operational issues with the Devolved Administrations in all scenarios and it is critical that this engagement continues at pace. DExEU has engaged the Scottish Government and the other Devolved Administrations on operational issues in all scenarios.

EU Nationals

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the Answer of 11 October to Written Question 175801 on EU Nationals, whether legislation  will be required to ensure full rights to EU citizens in the event of the UK leaving the EU (a) with a deal and (b) without a deal.

Mr Robin Walker: The Government has already set out its intention to legislate to implement the Citizens’ rights part of the Withdrawal Agreement in the EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill and through secondary legislation, as appropriate.We do not want, nor expect a no deal scenario. However, in the unlikely event of a no deal, the Prime Minister has been clear, stating to EU citizens on 21 September “I want to be clear with you that even in the event of no deal your rights will be protected. You are our friends, our neighbours, our colleagues. We want you to stay.” We will set out further details in due course.

Delegated Legislation

Mr Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what recent assessment he has made of his Departments' progress on secondary legislation programmes related to EU exit domestic preparedness; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Heaton-Harris: The Government has started laying the necessary statutory instruments to prepare the statute book for our exit. We remain confident of having a functioning statute book in place by exit day whatever the outcome of negotiations.

Attorney General

Crown Prosecution Service: Staff

Steve McCabe: To ask the Attorney General, how many staff the CPS (a) employs and (b) employed 10 years ago.

Robert Buckland: The Crown Prosecution Service employed 5,936 staff at 30 September 2018 and 8,768 staff at 30 September 2008.

Crown Prosecution Service: Offices

Steve McCabe: To ask the Attorney General, how many CPS offices have been closed since 2010.

Robert Buckland: Between January 2010 and September 2018 the CPS has closed 66 offices. During the same period the CPS has opened 13 new offices.The CPS Estates Strategy has to be, and is, in line with the Government’s strategy, namely to achieve best value from buildings on the civil estate. In accordance with the Government’s strategy, departments are required to vacate current office space when there is a lease break or expiry, and relocate staff to alternative buildings on the civil estate.In September 2018 the CPS completed work to relocate its London offices to an existing shared government building in Westminster. Since 2010 the CPS has reduced cost of its estate by approximately 30% resulting in annual running cost savings of £20m.

Attorney General: Northern Ireland

Layla Moran: To ask the Attorney General, how many and which (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have visited the Irish border in the last 12 months; when those visits took place; and how long they spent at the border in each of those visits.

Robert Buckland: Details of Ministers’ overseas travel are published quarterly and are available on GOV.UK.No Officials from the Attorney General’s Office have visited the Irish Border in the past 12 months.

Wales Office

Wales Office: Brexit

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the Written Statement of 13 March 2018 on Spring Statement, HCWS540, how much of that funding he has allocated to (a) programmes, (b) administration and (c) staffing in his Department.

Mims Davies: The Office of the Secretary of State for Wales (Wales Office) has allocated the £0.3 million in EU exit funding to staffing.

Ministry of Justice

Prison Officers: Holiday Leave

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many instances of annual leave of Band 3-5 prison officers planned to take place during the period of 1 May 2018 to 30 September 2018 have been cancelled in each prison.

Rory Stewart: The requested information is not recorded centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Young Offenders: Segregation of Prisoners

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many young offenders were placed in segregation for more than 22 hours in each institution holding child prisoners in each year from 2010.

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average length of time spent in segregation by a young offender was in each year since 2010.

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the longest length of time spent in segregation was by a young offender in each year since 2010.

Edward Argar: Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) do not hold the specific information requested centrally but are currently reviewing how segregation data is collected across each establishment in the Youth Estate. However, in answering PQ 141024, we did provide a breakdown of the total number of hours young people spent in segregation in each Young Offender Institution, where data is available, over the last 5 years. The safety and welfare of young people in our care is our priority. That is why there are strict safeguards on segregation, which is only used as a last resort when someone is likely to cause harm to themselves or others. We are recruiting more staff and investing in enhanced support units for the most vulnerable offenders, so young people have the support they need to turn away from crime and contribute to society.

Prison Officers: Heatstroke

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many members of staff in each prison were recorded as suffering from sunstroke in the period 1 May 2018 to 30 July 2018.

Rory Stewart: HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) does not record sunstroke as a reason for sickness absence and therefore the data requested is not available. HMPPS is committed to ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of its staff, with all staff having access to a comprehensive occupational health service and employee assistance programme.

Prison and Probation Service: Recruitment

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what criteria is used by the HM Prison and Probation Service's Approvals and Compliance Team to confirm candidates' suitability after they have been offered positions by the HM Prison and Probation Service's Recruitment Team.

Rory Stewart: The standard pre-appointment checks which are carried out on all applicants who have applied to commence employment with Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) include: Confirming an applicant’s identity Verification of current address and address history Confirming an applicant’s nationality and entitlement to work in the United Kingdom A criminal conviction check Obtaining employment reference(s) Personal counter signatory reference Checking qualifications/Professional Registration where specified in the job advertisement A declaration that individuals working for HMPPS HQ, public and private prisons are not members of racist groups or organisations. Checks against the Individual Insolvency Register A residency compliance check for National Security Clearance applications Checks of any previous HMPPS engagement including any exclusion from the organisation In addition, and based on risk, those working with children aged under 18 years and healthcare professionals, may be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check. All applications made to HMPPS are considered on their own individual merits.

Coroners: Legal Aid Scheme

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the merits of abolishing means-testing for legal aid at inquests.

Lucy Frazer: The Ministry of Justice is currently conducting a review of the provision of legal aid for inquests. This review is looking at the existing eligibility criteria, which includes consideration of the financial means assessment. We recently held a call for evidence exercise and are now analysing the responses. The final report of the review will be published later this year.

Legal Profession

Sir Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the ‎legal profession of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Lucy Frazer: The Government recognises its responsibility to fully consider all possible outcomes of the negotiations. The professional and business services technical notice published by the Government on 12 October sets out the implications of no deal for legal professionals and business owners, and directs them to relevant regulatory bodies for detailed information.

Magistrates' Courts

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many cases listed in magistrates courts have had to be abandoned and for what reasons since 2010.

Lucy Frazer: This information is not held centrally. The Ministry of Justice does publish annual data on trials in the magistrates’ courts for England and Wales, including numbers of effective trials and the key reasons for cracked trials and ineffective trials. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-court-statistics-annual-january-to-march-2018

Ministry of Justice: Contracts

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will publish all events held with potential bidders as part of all of his Department's tendering processes in (a) 2018, (b) 2017, (c) 2016 and (d) 2015; and which companies were represented for each such event.

Edward Argar: The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Every awarded contract by the MoJ goes through a thorough tendering process and is subject to the Public Contracts Regulations. Details of all MoJ Contracts throughout the tender process and once awarded with a value of £10,000 or more are published on Contracts Finder (https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder)

Prisons: Construction

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the oral evidence of the Minister of State for Justice to the Justice Committee on Prison Population 2022: planning for the future on 26 June 2018, Q94, HC 483, who will provide the maintenance services for the new privately financed prison announced by his Department.

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his policy is on companies that are under investigation by the Serious Fraud Office for overcharging his Department being permitted to bid for the contract to build new private prisons.

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate the Government has made of the number of prison places that will be managed by the private sector in (a) 2020 and (b) 2022.

Rory Stewart: On 26 June 2018 it was announced that it is the department’s intention to use public capital to build a new prison at the former HMP Wellingborough and launch a competition to appoint a framework of prison operators, from which we will select the operator for the new prison at Wellingborough and potentially further prisons following expiry of current private sector contracts. The Department also announced that it intends to build a second prison, at Glen Parva, funded through private finance. We intend to explore funding options, including private finance, for the remaining prison places. The Ministry of Justice will, in accordance with the Public Contract Regulations and relevant Government policies, take into account the past experience and performance, including the conclusions of any on-going investigations, of any company expressing an interest in bidding. We will also ensure through the tender process, that any company bidding has the capability and capacity to run the contracts effectively. It is intended that the contract for any prisons built using private finance will include the provision of facilities management. The private sector plays an important role in the provision of prison capacity (providing approximately 17% of total capacity as at the end of September) and will continue to do so in years to come. Due to the changeable operational and contractual environment associated with the provision of prison places by the private sector, it is not possible to identify the number of prison places that will be managed by the private sector estate in 2020 and 2022.

Ministry of Justice: Agency Workers

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of the agency staff working at his Department as of May 2018 had worked continuously at least one shift per month for (a) three months, (b) six months, (c) 12 months and (d) more than 12 months.

Edward Argar: The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Prisoners: Basic Skills

Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department plans to take improve (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills for prisoners throughout the adult male estate.

Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Departments plans to take to improve (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills for prisoners throughout the adult female estate.

Rory Stewart: We have already taken significant steps to improve literacy and numeracy skills for male and female prisoners across the adult prison estate in England. Since 2014, it has been mandatory to test every prisoner’s maths and English skills on entry into prison and from August 2017, these assessments were extended to include prisoners transferring between prisons and on release. We are taking further steps, which will come into full effect from April 2019 as new prison education providers commence delivery. The new education arrangements are focused on governor empowerment and accountability but, to raise standards and ensure consistency of education and training across the prison estate, we have put in place 12 requirements. These include the maths and English testing regime, but also the development of a personal learning plan, as part of the Sentence Plan, to address issues highlighted by these and other assessments. Although governors will be empowered to determine their establishment’s curriculum and how it is organised and delivered, a core common curriculum of maths, English, Information and Communications Technology and English for Speakers of Other Languages must be delivered in every prison. The process for implementing this is underway now: the new education providers will deliver that core common curriculum from April 2019.

Judiciary: Conduct

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will undertake an investigation into compliance with the Judicial Code of Conduct in relation to the trial at Preston Crown Court of Simon Blevins, Richard Roberts and Richard Loizou.

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the Judge in the trial at Preston Crown Court in relation to Simon Blevins, Richard Roberts and Richard Loizou sought advice from (a) his Department and (b) the Attorney General on the requirements of the Judicial Code of Conduct in relation to family connections.

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will publish the guidance issued by his Department on the duty of care required of justices under the judicial code of conduct when presiding over a case where the circumstances involve industries in which the judge's family members have a financial interest.

Lucy Frazer: It would not be appropriate for me or any other government minister to comment on cases which are, or have been, before the courts. Anyone who wishes to make a complaint of judicial misconduct may do so to the independent Judicial Conduct Investigations Office. The Guide to Judicial Conduct, which sets out the standards of conduct expected of judges, is publicly available at: https://www.judiciary.uk/publications/guide-to-judicial-conduct/

Cabinet Office

Electoral Register: Cost Effectiveness

Cat Smith: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the evidential basis is for the Government's annual canvass reform pilot scheme evaluation conclusion that the piloted approach generated costs savings; and that two of the four approaches were as effective as the normal canvass process.

Chloe Smith: The evidence for this conclusion is fully set out in the published evaluation, which is available here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/piloting-alternative-electoral-canvassing-modelsThe canvass pilot projects were run as randomised control trials and were evaluated in depth. The overall evaluation covered both the effectiveness and the potential cost savings of each of the piloted approaches compared to the current legislated canvass. The published evaluation also sets out a qualitative assessment of the pilot approaches, with participating authorities clearly favouring reform to the canvass. The Electoral Commission has also published an assessment of the pilots. The Commission’s conclusion that “evidence from these pilots shows that this approach could help EROs use their resources more efficiently” is fully shared by the Government. We are therefore working with the Electoral Commission and others to develop reforms to the annual canvass process. We intend to consult on these reforms in the near future.The Commission’s evaluation is available here:https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/244608/Annual-canvass-reform-pilot-scheme-evaluation.pdf

Government Departments: Procurement

Tom Pursglove: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the total value of UK Government contracts awarded to (a) UK firms and (b) non-UK firms under EU procurement rules in each year from 2014-2017; and what estimate he has made of the proportion of UK Government contracts awarded to (i) UK firms and (ii) non-UK firms in that same period.

Oliver Dowden: Central government does not record the value of contracts by supplier nationality. However, in 2014, government published an analysis of contracts won by firms with UK addresses: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/review-of-uk-and-eu-balance-of-competences-call-for-evidence-on-the-single-market-free-movement-of-services

Higher Education: Electoral Register

Cat Smith: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure that higher education providers co-operate with electoral registration officers on the facilitation of electoral registration.

Chloe Smith: On Friday 14 September, the Office for Students (OfS) published its guidance to Higher Education providers on the student electoral registration condition.This guidance is the final step in the implementation of the student electoral registration regulatory condition provided for in the Higher Education and Research Act 2017. The OfS guidance represents the first time that student electoral registration forms part of the Higher Education framework in England. In fulfilling the condition, Higher Education providers across England will be obliged to work with Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) to facilitate electoral registration amongst their student populations. The condition also reinforces an existing legal requirement for Higher Education providers to comply with ERO requests for information, necessary for maintaining complete and accurate electoral registers.

Fixed-Term Parliaments Act 2011

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether it is the Government's policy to repeal the Fixed Term Parliaments Act 2011.

Chloe Smith: Under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act, the Government is required to make arrangements in 2020 for a committee to carry out a review of the operation of the Act and, if appropriate, to make recommendations for its repeal or amendment.

Public Service Leadership Academy

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what (a) recent progress has been made on and (b) the proposed timeframe is for the establishment of the Public Service Leadership Academy.

Oliver Dowden: A) As promised in the Budget 2017, government set up a Public ServicesLeadership Taskforce to advise on the role of leadership development in improving productivity and outcomes across public services.The Taskforce was chaired by Sir Gerry Grimstone and has made excellent progress with its discussions. B) The Taskforce plan to publish their recommendations shortly and Government will respond in due course.

Infrastructure: Cybercrime

Jo Platt: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 11 October 2018 to Question 176669, how many cyber incidents affecting critical national infrastructure were reported in each of the last three years.

Mr David Lidington: The National Cyber Security Centre has responded to a number of incidents impacting CNI companies and their supply chains since its creation including close working with companies on mitigation. Given the complexity, interdependency, and scale of the CNI and its supply chain it is not currently possible to provide the information requested. The government is committed to improving the quality of data available and making cybersecurity incidents easier to report.